Neon Genesis Evangelion: Remade
by EdmondDantes
Summary: A 3-Season re-telling of the events of Neon Genesis Evangelion: Early divergences from Gendo and SEELE's scenarios have drastic repercussions TEMPORARILY ON HOLD
1. Pilot

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion, or its associated brandnames.

**Author's NOTES:**

1. This is a re-imagining of the series. The characters are those from the original series (anime), though Original Characters WILL appear as the series progresses.

2. For those who give a damn, yes, AxS (Eventually)

3. There will be 3 'Seasons', each with a different story arc. They have already been planned from beginning to end. All that is left is for me to write it.

4. Characters will be 'in character', and any changes to that will be due to the events which occur during the series.

5. Authors LOVE reviews. As this is my FIRST EVER attempt at fanfiction, more the merrier. Criticism, provided that it is constructive, is welcomed...just leave some pride left for me...I'm no Asuka!

6. I am a LAW STUDENT, therefore I will be EXTREMELY BUSY a lot of the time. Please be patient with me! :)

P.S. RxS is WRONG I don't care what anyone says, it's INCEST, and I won't stand for it!

* * *

Edmond_Dantes presents:

**Neon Genesis Evangelion: Remade**

**[2007]:**

"Shinji ?"

A 6 year-old boy looked up. His dark blue eyes, hidden behind a mop of chocolate brown hair, widened slightly, showing his curiosity, apprehension and a tinge of fear.

The woman was in her mid twenties, blonde haired and pretty. She smiled down at him. "Are you ready to go?"

The boy stared at his left hand. _Probably looking at the SDAT player...again_. The blonde mused. The SDAT player held in his left, the woman noted, was top of the range, and relatively new. _That would have been quite expensive..._

She snapped out of her reverie, realizing a few seconds had passed since her question. Seeing that Shinji's attention was focused entirely on his left hand, she asked quietly, "Are you waiting for something, Shinji?" Or perhaps someone. A flash of realization was etched across her face, before an apologetic look replaced it. _I'm sorry, Shinji._ Her heart went out to the boy, knowing exactly what she was about to do to him, and why.

"Let's go, Shinji." She said firmly.

The boy, who had been oblivious to the woman's thoughts, looked up. He looked up at the blonde, a determined expression on his baby-fat face, and his mouth began to open to argue- and promptly shut: the serious look on her face left no room for argument. He nodded meekly. Afterall, not many 6 year olds wouldn't be scared out of their wits by a look like that. Even if it was from a pretty woman like the blonde.

She turned and left the room, leaving Shinji to follow. He looked at the SDAT in his left, and a look of regret briefly flashed across his face. _I guess I couldn't keep my promise..._

His gaze turned to the cello sitting in the corner of his room. He dropped his eyes to the floor. _Mother..._

He turned to the object in his right hand- a long, curved katana, encased in a polished, plain black ebony sheath. _Father..._ A look of anguish encased his boyish features. _Why do you want me back now, father?_ The hand gripping the sword clenched and unclenched. _I was happy, dammit!_

The woman's head popped itself by the door.

"We'll be late for the plane, Shinji. Let's go. Your father awaits us." Father...

"Yes, Doctor Akagi."

"Call me Ritsuko" She smiled, though the look didn't reach her eyes.

* * *

"So, its true then?" Fuyutski asked, moving his bishop into position.

"Yes, SEELE have begun building a secret Evangelion base in Korea."

"Why Korea?"

"The location is...convenient."

Fuyutski looked up from the board. "Because it is close to us?"

"Exactly. Your move, professor"

The older man ignored the game, considering the latest revelation about the manoeuvrings of SEELE. There were only two reasons why SEELE would build an Evangelion base in Korea: First, because the base would allow Evangelion reinforcements to Tokyo-3, if Tokyo-3's own EVAs proved inadequate; and Second, so that Evangelions could be used to attack NERV directly, if they proved to go against SEELE's wishes. "What are they planning, Ikari?"

"The old men plan to betray us, professor."

Silence echoed throughout the room, as the significance of the words sunk in. Fuyutski considered this. It was logical, considering that there would be no other reason that SEELE would keep such a thing secret from them.

Fuyutski cleared his throat. "And you're just going to let them?" a note of incredulity edged the Vice Commander's voice.

Fuyutski could feel Gendo's smirk. "Knowing a plan is the first step in stopping it, professor. You taught me that."

The older man ignored the jibe. "I hope you know what you're doing, Ikari," he muttered. _For all our sakes_. Silence once again grabbed the room, only interrupted by the occasional 'plonk' of a chess piece being moved across the board. The Vice Commander couldn't care less about the game at the moment, as he continued to think.

Why Korea? Granted, the better question would be, why not Korea? One of the three major Asian economies preceding Second Impact, along with Japan and China, the chaos following Second Impact had toppled the dictatorship in North Korea, and after a brief, yet chaotic war, South Korea had triumphed, under the leadership of Field Marshall Park... Who later became President Park...and now, Secretary-General- Fuyutski's eyes widened at this, as realization hit him.

_It was all part of SEELE's scenario from the beginning. Park is a member of SEELE. The bastards didn't just plan Second Impact...no, they planned how to best manipulate the death of 3 billion people._

Fuyutski's mind hit overdrive, as he continued to think. The recovery of the new, united Korean economy was incredible- the infrastructure of the South was complemented by the North, which became what the Ukraine was to the former USSR. No-one knew how Korea had managed to recover so quickly, considering the destruction it had suffered during Second Impact and the war, and with the South having to compensate for the economically-crippled North.

_Now we know_. Fuyutski thought bitterly. _SEELE pumped the country full of funds, so it can take advantage of its technology and infrastructure_. Fuyutski's eyes narrowed as the depths of SEELE's manipulation hit him. _They engineered the war, had one of their own become a national hero, so that they could put him all the way to the top of the UN...and use his country to keep a leash hold on NERV. The clever bastards engineered a war that had cost the lives of 15 million people. For what? Just to control us?_ The implications were clear. SEELE controlled the United Nations. All of it.

Fuyutski realized that Gendo was looking at him, still with that insufferable smirk, the one he could sense behind Gendo's hands. _He's already figured all of this out_. The old man realized. _And he probably engineered this conversation so that I would figure it out...and so that I would realize both these things_. The Vice Commander was astounded at Gendo's skills of manipulation and his intelligence. Despite himself, he shivered. He was afraid of Gendo Ikari's intelligence. He really was.

Satisfied that the professor had realized all this, Gendo continued, "There will have to be slight deviances from my original scenario. But not to worry professor, they have been taken care of...your turn, professor"

Fuyutski looked down at the board in surprise. While the former professor had dominated the centre in the opening stages, the end game looked ominous for him, with his pieces pressed into corners, unable to manoeuvre. The result was no longer in doubt. Fuyutski knocked his king over.

"Thank you for the game, professor." Gendo said.

"What are your plans for the Second and Third?" Fuyutski asked, ignoring the game completely.

Gendo's expression was unreadable. "The Second will follow the original scenario, as planned."

"And the Third?"

"Slight deviances must be made to the scenario. Additional factors mean that the original scenario for the Third is no longer viable. He will begin his training immediately...another game, professor?"

Fuyutski nodded, and they began to play again, Gendo playing a classic opening. _The King's Gambit_. Fuyutski thought. A deviously simple ploy, sacrificing the pawn flanking the king, allowing the White played to dominate the central areas and deploy his more advanced pieces quickly. It also however, left the kingside open to an early flanking manoeuvre. Fuyutski blinked. _Am I still thinking about the game...or Gendo?_

The professor realized that Gendo's chess playing mirrored the man behind the glasses. Sacrifices are necessary. Everything is expendable, so long as the desired result is obtained. Fuyutski shuddered at the thought, and returned his attention to the conversation, his desire to play satiated."Does this mean that another means is required to control the Third?" he asked.

Gendo paused. "That has already been taken care of."

Fuyutski frowned. For once, there had been a hint of uncertainty in the voice. _There's already been complications in his scenario...and its something to with Yui's son_.

"Fuyutski...I want Rei pulled out of school. She will once again take residence within the Geo Front."

The aged professor looked at Gendo in surprise. "But Ikari, last time that happened-"

Gendo cut him off with a dismissive cut of his hand. "With the impending arrival of the Third Child, it is a necessary precaution."

Fuyutski frowned. _It made no sense. If anything, they should be spending as much time together, so that when the Angels came they could-. Ahhh...you don't want your precious doll to stop being a doll. Clever Ikari, clever_. He shook his head in disgust. "It's about control, isn't it, Ikari?"

Gendo smirked, but didn't respond. _It always has been professor, it always has been._

* * *

"Mr. Langley?"

"Yes, that's me."

Michael Langley looked at the man uncertainly. He had spoken in English, and not German, and they were in Germany after all. That in itself raised alarms bells in the American's head. _He knows I'm more comfortable with English than German,_ He thought.

The man standing in front of him was clearly of oriental descent, and dressed in the generic black suit synonymous with Secret Services.

"I'm with NERV, sir." His English was impeccable, the American accent giving away the fact that he had been taught the language, rather than grown up with it.

Michael Langley was no fool. He knew exactly what they were after. But he would be damned if he was going to roll over and make it easy for them. "If you're after Kyo- Dr. Sohryu's notes, you should know already that they've been delivered to NERV Berlin." Langley said quietly.

The agent didn't reply.

"If you're after...the other, he's been delivered already too."

The agent shook his head. He already knew that. "I'm after Miss Sohryu."

Silence greeted his words.

Michael Langley was not a violent man, but something about the agent's words made rage bubble in his chest. "Have you people not done enough already?! You've already destroyed my family. She's all I've got left, and you want to take her away from me?!" he hissed, his previous civility a distant memory.

The Asian looked unimpressed. His next words struck the American like a bullet: "From what I've been told, you've had no problems finding a replacement, Mr. Langley." he said coldly, not a trace of sympathy in his voice.

As much as he tried, Michael Langley found he no longer had the strength to look in the Agent's eyes. He no longer had the right to.

"She's upstairs, in the third room to the right." Langley said quietly, staring intently at the magohany flooring of the mansion.

The agent nodded, perhpas realizing that he had taken it too far with his last comment. Not that he had any intention of apologizing. That most certainly was not necessary. Not willing to press his luck any further, he asked, "Anything I should know?"

"She's barricaded herself in her room. She hasn't been out in about a week, except to eat, and to use the bathroom." Langley paused. "It's been a...torrid month for her." He added, shooting a glance at the bedroom to his right.

The agent didn't reply, and if he saw the American's pregnant glance, he said nothing. Instead he brushed past the older man, walking towards the stairs at the end of the corridor. His ponytail swished loosely across his broad shoulders as he walked. As he reached the mouth of the stairs, he stopped and turned to Langely. "No thanks to you" he whispered.

As the agent walked up the stairs, Dr. Michael Langley found that he couldn't respond. The truth after all, is the truth.

* * *

NOTE: AUTHORS LOVE REVIEWS!


	2. Season 1:Episode 1: Shinji's Debut

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion, or its associated brandnames.

Edmond_Dantes presents:

**Neon Genesis Evangelion: Remade**

**Season 1: Episode 1: Shinji's Debut**

**

* * *

**

[2015]:

"Target Status?"

"We can't see it due to the EMP effects"

"It was such a massive explosion. It must have been destroyed" One general stated confidently, hands folded across his chest.

"Sensors on line...Energy reaction in the centre of the explosion!"

"WHAT?!" The general exploded out of his seat, his smug expression replaced by a look of disbelief.

Visual was restored on the command screen, revealing the terrifying visage of the Angel.

The JSSDF Generals slumped into their seats, dumbfounded.

* * *

Above the JSSDF Generals, a middle-aged man with dark, rimmed glasses sat at a desk, flanked by a tall, older man who looked to be in his early 60s.

"As we thought. An Absolute-Terror Field." The older man said.

"Yes. Conventional firepower is useless against an Angel."

"And it seems to be regenerating."

"It is necessary for the Angel to be a self-sufficient weapon."

"Just as predicted in the Scroll, eh, Ikari?"

Commander Gendo Ikari didn't respond. He looked down at the JSSDF High Command, with a smug expression on his face. "Fuyutski, is the Third Child ready to sortie?"

"Lieutenant Kaji informs us Section 2 has taken the Third into custody. ETA 12 minutes." Replied the older man.

A hologram appeared to the Commander's right, displaying the caption 'SOUND ONLY" in bold. "Commander, Unit-01 is ready to sortie, awaiting arrival of pilot. Configured for designated pilot, Third Child Shinji Ikari." The methodical voice of Ritsuko Akagi came through the speakers.

Vice-Commander Fuyutski spoke. "It's a pity that Unit-00's last activation was unsuccessful. Another EVA would have increased our chances of success"

Only a soft grunt of acknowledgment.

Fuyutski spoke again. "Ikari, is it wise putting so much faith on your son?"

The Commander smirked underneath his hands. "The Third Child will be...adequate."

"Nonetheless, the old men are not impressed that you are using your son. Ikari, they are afraid of your influence on him. There is also fear of his talents. Training a third pilot since youth was not part of SEELE's scenario."

"They will not complain too loudly. SEELE knows that their scenario is impossible unless the Angels are defeated. Tell the old men that his training was a necessary precaution to increase our chances of defeating the Angels...and with Rei unable to sortie, a justified one."

"Is that the truth?"

"Part of it."

A JSSDF aide approached them. "Sir, General Yashimoto requests your presence."

The Commander stood, fixing his glasses with a gloved hand, and followed the aide down the stairs.

Fuyutski watched his retreating back, a look of apprehension on his face. _What are you really upto, Ikari?_

* * *

"A-10 Nerve connection successful."

"Default language set at Japanese."

"Connection successful."

"Synchronization rate at 89.08%."

Shinji sat in the entry plug of Unit-01, a serene expression on his face. Suddenly, a screen emerged, with the face of a purple-haired woman, a concerned frown etched on her attractive face. "How are you feeling, Shinji?"

The boy managed a weak smile. "Ready to sortie, Misato-san. Let's get this over and done with- I promised Kaji to go to the bar with him tonight."

Captain Misato Katsuragi scowled. _He's been spending too much time with Kaji as it is_. Her expression turned serious. "Shinji-kun, the target's ETA is in 15 minutes. We are going to launch you through Gate-F in 10. The weapons caches are still a month from completion, so we'll launch you with a pallet rifle. Engage the target on the edge of the city from range. Don't forget to get to neutralize it's AT-Field. "

He nodded, the small smile still on his face disappearing, replaced by a look of intense concentration. He's nervous. Misato thought. But why shouldn't he be? He's about to go out in a 50-foot tall biomechanical behemoth and engage in solo combat against a monster that eats N2 Mines and Armoured Divisions for breakfast. Misato sighed.

Another voice suddenly crackled through the entry plug's speakers. "Yo, Shinji, how're you doing in there?"

Shinji's eyes opened. "Kaji-san?" he asked.

Kaji chuckled. "The one and only... How're you doing kiddo?"

"I'm ok...a bit nervous though"

Kaji nodded, though Shinji couldn't see, as only a hologram with "SOUND ONLY" was visible in his entry plug. "You'll be find kiddo, besides-"

His response was interrupted as a screen displaying an annoyed Misato Katsuragi popped up on Shinji's right. "Kaji! What the HELL do you think you're doing?! Last time I checked, Section 2 wasn't authorized to interrupt military operations!"

"It's ok Katsuragi, I'm just trying to calm the boy's nerves bef-"

"Last time I checked, that was MY job, you asshole!"

"Er, Katsuragi, you do realize that we're JOINT guardians?"

What was left of Shinji's dignity was saved by the timely interruption of Doctor Akagi. "ENOUGH! You are his acting guardians, now stop acting like brats and get on with the mission!"

"It's ok Rits, Misato's just upset because Kaji wasn't good last night." A roar of guffaws came through the speakers. The broadcast had just been transmitted throughout Central Dogma.

Back in the command room, Misato's face was bright red with embarrassment. _Atleast he can make a joke. _Nonethless, she shot Shinji a glare promising a slow and painful death, and he instinctively cowed in his seat, raising his arms protectively. _So much for backbone, Ikari_.

"You're stuck with all the household chores for a month now, Shinji!"

"But Misato-san, I already-" Shinji's response was cut short as the link was terminated.

"At least that managed to settle his nerves a bit" Ritsuko commented.

"I hope so. I still don't like the idea of sending children to fight our battles. Especially one you've been living with for 6 years."

"We don't have a choice. No-one else can pilot an Evangelion."

Misato sighed. "I know"

She looked back up to the command screen. Be safe, Shinji.

* * *

"Launch Eva!"

The familiar g-force gripped Shinji Ikari as EVA Unit-01 launched to the surface of Tokyo-3 at high speed, exposing it to the cool night air.

Misato's voice came through the speakers. "Shinji-kun, there's a power plug at silo 4, 200 metres to your left."

"Got it, Misato."

"ETA 1 minute!" Maya Ibuki's voice came through.

Shinji took a deep breath of LCL. _This is it, Ikari. This is for them. Don't you forget it._ He tightened his grips on his butterfly controls, his mouth forming the bare outlines of a snarl. _I won't lose. No, I CAN'T lose!_ _For them..._

Over the mountain range overlooking Tokyo-3, the misshapen form of the Third Angel emerged. It seemed almost comical, how its enormous upper torso could be supported on its narrow hip, the giant red core located just above it, protected by a bony exoskeleton. _There it is._

"EVA Unit-01 awaiting instructions!"

"Deploy AT-Field and engage from medium range."

"Got it, Misato!"

Shinji focused on developing the protective field from the EVA. Suddenly, the Angel's head reared, and it charged at top speed towards Unit-01.

Bright yellow lights flashed across the night sky of Tokyo-3, as car-sized depleted uranium rounds were emitted from Shinji's rifle, straight at the Angel-

A deafening crash echoed through the night air, as Unit-01's AT-Field met the Angel's.

"High energy reading from target!" Makoto yelled from the bridge.

_Shit._ "Shinji-kun!"

Shinji's eyes opened in astonishment as the left arm of the Angel slid through the orange-red hexagonal barrier of his AT-field and-

A flash of purple light drove Unit-01 back, crashing on its backside into a weapons silo. Shit.

Shinji was back on his feet immediately, narrowly avoiding a slashing blow that would have disembowelled Unit-01 with a graceful leap into the air.

A flash and warning light began to emit from within the entry plug, as a timer reading 1:02 began its countdown. Double Shit. Shinji thought, as he barely dodged another energy spike.

"Shinji-kun!" Misato's voice again. "Retreat back through Gate-E, 400m south-west. We'll re-group from there."

He hesitated, then nodded. "Yes." He willed Unit-01 around, just as the Angel lashed out, catching Unit-01's right shoulder and sending it crashing into a nearby skyscraper.

"Ughhh..." He moaned, clutching his 'injured' right shoulder with his left hand. His eyes suddenly widened. "Misato, what's that building that the Angel is approaching now?"

There was a slight pause before she responded. "The general hospital."

_There might be people still left inside..._

* * *

"Progressive sword drawn!" Hyuga yelled.

"Shinji-kun!" Misato yelled into the communication. "I ordered you to retreat!"

"Let it go, Captain." Commander Ikari, overlooking the battle from above, looked down at the Operations Manager, his face hidden behind his white-gloved hands.

"But sir, he has less than 30 seconds of battery left, and the progressive sword draws on the EVA's own battery for power!"

This time, Vice-commander Fuyutski spoke. "You have your orders, Captain."

All heads turned back to the battle, the moment of insubordination already forgotten, as a blood-curdling scream came through the speakers...

* * *

The enormous, single-bladed weapon came down in a graceful arc, cleanly decapitating the Angel's left arm. The creature swayed back, its balance lost by the loss of its limb. Its right hand then came forward, from it emerging a stream of purple energy.

Shinji moved on instinct, years of EVA training coming to the fore. He sidestepped to the left, not even watching the path of the beam, as his left shoulder pauldron opened, revealing his progressive knife; then a smooth throw with the EVA's free left hand, the graceful arc of the knife burying itself in the Angel's torso, narrowly missing its core.

_12 seconds left. _

Unit-01 charged forward, the progressive sword drawn in both hands...

_11 seconds _

Reaching the crippled Angel within moments...

_10 seconds _

Raising the blade in a wide arc...

_9 seconds _

Bringing it down towards the core...

_8 seconds _

To impale the weapon on the Angel's...arm?

_7 seconds _

The Angel's right arm had caught the blade on its side, pushing it harmlessly out of the way.

_6 seconds _

Shinji drew back the weapon and raised it again over Unit-01's head.

_5 seconds_

Suddenly, the Angel's remaining arm was in Unit-01's face

_4 seconds _

A bloodcurdling scream emerged from the mouth of the young pilot, even as Unit-01 flew back, blood and core streaming from its mutilated left eye and face.

_3 seconds_

Nerv command in Central Dogma looked in absolute horror, hearing the boy's screams of agony.

_2 seconds _

"Pilot suffering nerve damage from bio feedback...his psychograph is unstable...he's in pain!"

_1 Second_

"Cut the connection, now!" Misato screamed.

_Out of Power _

"Delay that order" boomed Commander Ikari's voice.

The entirety of the bridge looked at the Commander in astonishment. He merely smirked.

* * *

Inside the entry plug of Unit-01, sat Shinji Ikari, his screams reduced to a pained whimper, even as he clutched uselessly at his butterfly controls.

"Come on you useless piece of shit! If you don't move, we're all going to die!"

_Misato_

_Kaji_

_Ritsuko _

_Makoto _

_Maya_

_Aoba _

_...Father _

"Oh god" he sobbed in the entry plug, his arms still moving the butterfly controls in a futile effort.

"Help me...please." he whispered hoarsely. His left eye felt as though it had been poked with a red-hot iron, and his body was wracked by uncontrollable sobs.

Suddenly, he felt a shadow looming over his field of vision. _The Angel..._

He looked up with his good eye at the monstrosity, battered, one-armed and still with his progressive knife impaled into its stomach.

He felt a sense of peace and contentment come over him, despite-or perhaps due to- his impending death_. I can't even keep a promise...I'm such a failure... _

He smiled, a small bitter sweet one. _Atleast there won't be anymore pain. _

As the Angel's right arm came down in an arc, he closed his eyes. _Mother..._

* * *

"Unit-01 has reactivated!" Maya yelled in disbelief

"Impossible, it's out of power!" Ritsuko.

"Pilot's Synchronization rate at 125.23%!" Aoba.

"Berserker..." Ristuko whispered.

* * *

Up in the command bridge, Commander Ikari smiled. Just a little.

"Looks like we've won." Fuyutski commented bitterly.

* * *

Unit-01's remaining eye flashed, as its arms came up to grab the Angel's wrist in a death-like grip.

With a powerful jerk, the forearm of the Angel's right arm was ripped off, leaving a bloody stump in its place. With a mighty roar, Unit-01 smashed its left fist into the face of the creature, driving it off of Unit-01 and into a nearby mountain. Before the mortally wounded creature could react, Unit-01 leapt from all-fours onto the creature. Unit-01's arms latched around the progressive knife impaled in the creature's chest, driving it lower...into the creature's core.

A purple cross-shaped explosion emerged into the night sky...then Tokyo-3 was silent. The first battle of Tokyo-3 was over.

* * *

"Your son's performance in the last battle was impressive."

"The Third Child has received the best training. It was expected."

"Nonetheless, he did extremely well for his debut battle."

"The Third did not defeat the Angel."

"He would have if he had more power."

"Perhaps. Come, we must satisfy the old men."

Fuyutski looked at the retreating figure of Gendo Ikari with thinly-veiled disgust_. At the very least, acknowledge that he is your son, you heartless bastard. _

He turned to the gargantuan head of Unit-01 in front of him, fully repaired from its previous engagement. The ominous head seemed to be staring straight at him, its eyes the size of an adult human being weighing his soul. _What have we become, Yui?_ He sighed, and turned to follow the Commander out of the EVA Cage.

* * *

"Eh? School?" Captain Misato Katsuragi, Nerv Operations Director, tactical genius, beer-drinking machine and the object of the dreams of Nerv's straight male population had heard a lot of strange (usually hentai) ideas before. But even so, this one has to be the one of the strangest.

It had been two weeks since Angel battle, and Shinji had been released from the hospital 3 days ago. He had suffered 3 bruised ribs, mild concussion and nerve damage to his left eye from the feedback-the drawback of having a high synchronization rate. While the inflammation on the ribs had died down quickly, the doctors informed her that his eye was half as good as it used to be. The doctors were baffled, however, at one thing. His left eye had been discoloured, rendering it a dark green. They had given Shinji a contact lens to restore his sight and for his left eye to match the dark blue of his right.

Good as new, right? His physical injuries were as good as gone. Too bad mental ones are harder to cure.

The battle had taken a serious toll on Shinji's psyche. It wasn't the fear of the pain that he had felt from the EVA, or the fear of death. If there was one thing that Misato had learnt from living with the introverted young pilot for 7 years it was this:

_He doesn't pilot for himself._

At face value this seemed to lead to the conclusion, then that he's doing for everyone else. Of course. He's doing it for the good of the human race, right? Because he's a hero, right? Wrong. Ideals like heroism and selflessness sounded good in children's stories. In the real world, the one full of humans, it was far less pretty.

_People only care about themselves. _

It may seem like a cynical view of the world, but Misato knew it to be true. Human beings were selfish creatures. They did not do anything for others, unless there was something in it for themselves, regardless of how little. Not even Shinji, though Misato had never met someone as selfless, gentle and kind hearted as he.

_So then, why does he pilot EVA? He pilots for others... but why? _

It was most certainly not for his father, no. They hadn't spoken to each other since the day they had met. Misato remembered that day quite well. It was the day that she had met Shinji for the first time...

_Flashback:_

_A 6 year old Shinji Ikari walked into Central Dogma, following a younger Dr. Ritsuko Akagi. As they entered, the NERV personnel turned and stared at him. Even at such a young age, the resemblance to the Commander was...uncanny. _

_Nervous, the boy hid behind Dr. Akagi's skirt, as though she could somehow hide him from the world. She suddenly stopped, and he ventured his head warily from its sanctuary. _

_Standing before him was a beautiful, purple-haired woman in her early 20's, wearing the red jacket of NERV's Strategic Branch. She smiled down at him, and chuckled when the boy retreated back behind Ritsuko's skirt. _

"_Whose the cute boy you got hanging on your skirt, Ritsuko?" Lieutenant Misato Katsuragi asked. _

"_Isn't he a bit young for you to be sleeping with, Misato?" Misato's left eye twitched dangerously in response, but Ritsuko ignored it. _

"_Funny, it's not my skirt that he's getting under right now? Besides, I already have a man..they're better than cats Ritsuko, you should try some time." _

"_If you're talking about your...indecent relationship with Ka-" _

"_Someone call my name?" Leaning his back across the wall, hands folded across his chest was Ryoji Kaji, wearing a black suit and his 5 o'clock shadow, hair over his shoulder in a black ponytail. _

_He began to walk towards them. "So, this is him, huh?" _

_He squatted down, so that he was at Shinji's eye level. Sometime, during the course of the bickering between the two women, he had managed to emerge from behind Ritsuko's skirt.' Probably when it became the topic of conversation'. Kaji thought, chuckling lightly._

"_What's your name, kiddo?" _

"_S-Shinji. Shinji Ikari." _

_Kaji looked at him with mock surprise. "Oh, so you're the son of the famous Commander Gendo Ikari, eh?" _

_To Kaji and Misato's surprise, the boy looked down at his feet, his left hand curling and uncurling, as he mumbled a quiet "...yes."_

_Kaji recovered first. "So, what are you doing here, kiddo?" _

_Shinji didn't respond. Ritsuko however, did. "Shinji has just been chosen as the Third Child. He is going to be an EVA pilot." At this, cheers erupted across the bridge, as technicians and workers smiled at Shinji, and those closest came over to congratulate him, wishing him luck, telling him how they were with him all the way. _

_Shinji managed to smile at them. A little one, but it was real. 'Maybe I'm not so useless after all'_

_End Flashback. _

_I still don't know why he pilots EVA_. Misato thought.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Kaji asked, bringing Misato out of her pondering.

"W-Wha? I'm sorry, what were you saying?"

Kaji stopped cleaning up the leftovers from the party and turned to Misato. "I think we should send Shinji to school."

Misato frowned. "Why? He's already finished his University degree."

"I know, Misato, he's a prodigy, just like his mother was." Kaji went back to clearing the apartment, while Misato continued to sip on her Yebisu.

"But he's struggling. That Angel battle took a lot out of him. He's lonely. He needs friends." He continued before Misato could interrupt, anticipating her reply. "Yes, I know he's got you, me, Makoto, Aoba, Maya, heck maybe even Cat-Lady Ritsuko. But seriously, he needs friends his own age...look, today was his welcome back party, and there was no-one his age. Besides," and Kaji grinned at this, "he might even score himself a girlfriend".

Beer erupted in a stream from Misato's mouth at this last statement. Kaji sighed. "I'll go grab a mop." And he walked out of the room.

Misato took this opportunity to think. It was true. The accelerated learning program Shinji was put through once he became an EVA pilot left no room for fun, or friends. In between the synchronization tests, military training, physical conditioning, pilot training and enormous coursework that he was required to go through, Shinji Ikari had never been given the opportunity to make friends his own age. The only people he knew were those at NERV.

"It's almost as though his father doesn't want him to make friends." Misato muttered.

"What was that Misato?" Kaji was back, mop and bucket in his hands.

"I said it's good to have a housebroken male! I guess Shinji learnt from the best." Misato snapped, annoyed that Kaji had twice broken her train of thought.

Kaji put on his best hurt expression. "But Misato, you couldn't live without me, right?" He received a glare in response, and decided not to push his luck. _Wise_.

"Seriously though, what do you think? Besides, he finished his EVA training just before the attack, so its not like he's got anything better to do. I know you'll have to push it by the Commander, but," he dropped the cleaning utensils and put his arms around her from behind, "I'll make it worth your while" he whispered into her ear.

Misato giggled, "Alright, if you insist...oh, and Kaji?"

"Yes Misato?"

"Touch me again without permission, and I WILL castrate you."

"...yes Misato."

* * *

Unknown to Misato, Shinji was having similar thoughts in his own room, as he lay in his bed, his loyal SDAT player held firmly in his left hand. He was exhausted, having yet to recover from his ordeal, having only been released from hospital today, and the party had gone late into the night. He was thankful that Kaji had offered to clean, because he knew that Misato wouldn't have done it. Despite his tiredness, he could not sleep. Instead, he stared without looking at the ceiling, deep in thought.

_Why do I pilot EVA? _

_B-because...because people are relying on me! _

It was true. If he didn't pilot, who would? But it wasn't the entirety of the truth, and Shinji knew it.

_Why do I pilot EVA? _

_Because people praise me if I do!_ His gaze turned to the sword on his wall. _Misato, Kaji, everyone at NERV...except Father..._

_But it brings me so much pain._ His hand unconsciously went to the gauzes over his ribs.

It takes away those that care for me! He looked at his cello, on its stand in the corner of his room, and his grip on his SDAT tightened in his left hand.

_Then why do I STILL pilot EVA? _

The answer made him cry. _Because without EVA, I'm useless. Without EVA, no-one will care for me. Without EVA, no-one will love me_...

* * *

**NOTE: AUTHORS LOVE REVIEWS!**


	3. Season 1:Episode 2: Barefoot in the Park

Edmond_Dantes presents:

**Neon Genesis Evangelion: Remade**

**Season 1: Episode 2: Barefoot in the Park**

* * *

"Your request is granted, Captain. You may leave now."

Fuyutski looked with thinly veiled amusement at Misato Katsuragi's flabbergasted expression- her mouth was flapping like a goldfish out of the water. Unable –or perhaps unwilling- to push her luck, the purple-haired woman promptly spun on her heels and left the dimly-lit chamber, her footsteps echoing down the corridor.

"You've grown soft, Gendo." The older man said, chuckling.

The Commander merely motioned his head slightly, his face an expressionless mask behind his hands. "This fits in well with the scenario."

The older man looked at Gendo sceptically. "Don't tell me you planned to have your _Director of Operations_ request to have your son put back in school."

"No, but it allowed her to fix a slight miscalculation in the scenario."

This genuinely surprised Fuyutski. _Since when did Ikari admit when he was wrong?_ He wondered. Aloud, he asked, "Then how does this fit into your 'scenario'?"

Gendo did not reply with words, merely passing the Vice Commander a document which had been sitting on his desk:

**Status Report: Third Child: Ikari, Shinji. **

Psychological evaluation reveals that the subject is suffering from social withdrawal. The problem stems from a fear of rejection. It seems the subject believes that his social acceptance as an individual is dependent on his success as an Evangelion pilot. His previous engagement with the Third Angel has made him believe further failure in Evangelion engagements will result in social rejection. Considering his upbringing and history (see appendix A) this is not surprising.

Furthermore, his accelerated education, combined with his Evangelion training means that he has been unable to form close social relationships, with the possible exception of his joint-guardians and myself.

However, his current psychological trend indicates that he is in need of forming social relations with peers. Without this, it is possible that he may reach the stage where the fear of social rejection becomes secondary to his fear of the trauma associated with the Evangelion. If this were to occur, convincing him to pilot an Evangelion would be extremely difficult.

**Dr. Akagi, R.**

**Head of Department, Project E.**

Fuyutski finished reading the document and looked back up at Gendo. "So basically, if your son doesn't find friends his own age, he's not going to pilot?"

"Not quite professor. If the Third Child decides that the pain associated with piloting EVA is not worth the social acceptance he is currently receiving, he will no longer have the motivation to pilot."

_Third Child, Third Child. Never 'Son' or 'Shinji'_ Fuyutski thought bitterly. Aloud, he asked: "So what are you going to do?"

"Controlling the Third requires two things: First, he must continue to believe his social acceptance is dependent on EVA; Second, his pleasure from social acceptance must be greater than his pain from EVA."

_Of course._ Fuyutski thought. _Control. Even his son he views no more as a tool. How to control it. How to use it for his benefit._

* * *

"Something on your mind, kiddo?"

Shinji looked up, his forehead bathed in sweat. He had been practicing his kenjutsu kata that morning at the local park. Tokyo-3 Square Park was located just behind the shopping centre, and was an obscene piece of artificial green contrasting with the man-made superstructures surrounding it. Shinji didn't mind though. The wide open space allowed him to practice, alone. _Just not today_.

"How did you know where to find me, Kaji?" he asked, though he already knew the answer having heard it before.

The eternally unshaved agent emerged from the shadow of the tree he had been leaning on, a canned coffee in his hand. "As head of your security detail, Shinji, it's my job to know where you are 24/7." He chuckled slightly, "As a slight bonus, I know what you get up with Misato at night" he added teasingly, wagging a finger, and giving him a mischievous wink.

"Funny, I could say that about you and Misato." Shinji deadpanned. Kaji promptly choked on his canned coffee, though he recovered quickly. Years of teasing had made the young boy immune to sexual innuendo, and able to dish it out better than most. While Kaji did appreciate the boy's maturity regarding sexuality, he was uncomfortable with the boy's unusual situation. Spending most of his time associating with adults meant that, in some aspects, Shinji was mature beyond his years. The problem was, in others, he was about as knowledgeable as an earthworm. While Kaji could appreciate it was an expected consequence of his accelerated education and EVA training, it nonetheless left a bitter taste in his mouth. The taste of his utter failure as a guardian. True, Misato was equally to blame. But that didn't make him feel any better. And it most certainly didn't benefit Shinji.

_That changes today._ Kaji thought.

It had only been recently that Kaji had become aware of the extent of his failure. He never deluded himself to think that he was a good guardian. Hell, he wasn't even able to keep a stable relationship with Misato, and his job as head of Section 2 had ensured that. But he wasn't aware of the true extent of his shortcomings until after the Angel attack.

His thoughts drifted back to his last conversation with his troubled young charge...

_Shinji sat desolately in the pilot locker room, having just been spat out by Ritsuko after a terrible harmonics test. Kaji walked in. He had been waiting to take Shinji home for 15 minutes, and became concerned when the boy hadn't come out of the locker room. "Hey kiddo, are y-". Kaji stopped in his tracks, silenced by the tears running down the boy's face and the wordless sobs that wracked his adolescent frame. _

"_What's wrong, Shinji?" the agent asked quietly. _

"_I-its n-n-nothing" he managed between sobs. He paused, no longer trembling as much. "I'm sorry." At those words, Kaji frowned. Sure, Misato and the 'Bridge Bunnies' when they came over to the Katsuragi household loved to tease Shinji for his habit of saying 'sorry' excessively, but no-one had ever thought that it had been more than a habit. _

_It was more than that, Kaji realized in a moment of insight. It was a self-defence mechanism. Shinji Ikari was as non-confrontational as they came. That wasn't to say he was weak or cowardly, in fact, the opposite was true. When it came down to it, Shinji Ikari was one of the bravest people in Kaji's books. That wasn't to say he wasn't afraid- no, he was afraid often. But courage was not the absence of fear- rather, it was the ability of an individual to overcome it. In that respect, Shinji was a lion in Kaji's books. He turned up daily to NERV HQ since he was ten to undergo rigorous physical conditioning from Drill Sergeant Kentaro, who would literally beat him to a pulp if he believed the young boy wasn't working hard enough (Misato's written protests to Commander Ikari going unanswered); He continued to jump into the entry plug of EVA, even though his first activation test had nearly resulted in a rampaging Unit-00 – sure, he only jumped into Unit-01 since and had no problems, but to jump into the controls of a 50-foot behemoth knowing it could so out of control and destroy everything in sight without complaint was no mean feat; He studied a year's coursework within 4 months, Dr. Akagi making it known that having a harmonics test is no excuse for a 13 year old boy not completing a 4000-word essay on Franco-German relations in the 18th Century. _

_It was enough to drive a man crazy. Heck, it was a testament to the deep reservoir of inner strength in the boy that he had not snapped yet. Sure, he had cried and even run away once when he was 12 (Kaji found him sleeping on the street, hands curled around his SDAT as though it was made of gold), but to face the trials day after day...Kaji had to give it to the boy. But that wasn't to say that Shinji Ikari was some kind of demi-god, no. When it came to relationships though, the boy was dead rubber .Rejection, even the possibility of it terrified him. So he ensured that it would never happen- atleast, not again. He never let people get close, because so long as they stayed away, he couldn't possibly be hurt by them. And true to his non-confrontational nature, instead of pushing them away actively, he dodged them; Sidestepped them with all the grace of a ballerina. 7 years of guardianship had only just allowed Kaji and Misato, and by association, Ritsuko, and to a lesser extent Maya, Makoto and Aoba, a tiny foot in the door. _

'_Someone must have wounded his heart deeply a long time ago.' Kaji thought sadly. The best way to help him overcome his fear would be to face the original offender, and resolve it, but knowing who it was, Kaji knew it was highly unlikely. If Kaji had one regret, it was that he hadn't gotten to the boy early to stem the wound. _

"_When you say 'nothing' when it's raining, you know it's not true." Kaji said quietly. Shinji looked up, red-rimmed blue eyes meeting brown."I'm so-" _

"_You finish that sentence, I'll subject you to Misato's cooking for a month." _

_Shinji attempted a light chuckle. It sounded like a horse dying. Kaji didn't respond. Despite the lightening of the mood, he knew he had to be careful not to set off any of Shinji's 'confrontation alarms'. Instead, he waited for the brown haired boy to speak. _

_Silence permeated through the room, so much so that the buzz of the fluorescent lights and the dripping of LCL from the plugsuit to the floor echoed through the metallic walls. Kaji saw Shinji's left hand clenching repeatedly, but said nothing, aware that an internal battle was raging in the young pilot's mind. Suddenly, his left hand stopped clenching. _

"_Kaji-san, I can trust you, right?" the voice was barely above a whisper. He nodded. _

"_I-I'm not ready to tell right now. B-but I promise I will. W-when it next rains." _

_Kaji smiled, and put a hand on Shinji's shoulder. "Thank you, Shinji" he said, and began to leave the room. _

"_What for?" it was barely audible, but Kaji heard it nonetheless, and turned at the door. "For trusting me, Shinji." _

Breaking out of his thoughts, Kaji threw a can, hidden in his left hand behind his back, at Shinji. "Here, catch" Shinji caught it gracefully in mid air with his free hand.

_Atleast there's some benefit to all that training_, he chuckled to himself. "I only drink tea, Kaji" he said, only half-joking. "You know that."

Kaji smiled "Look at the can, kiddo." Shinji scowled, sheathed the sword and began to drink the iced green tea.

"How about you and me kiddo... it's a date!" he said cheerfully, putting on his patented 'lady-killer' grin.

"Kaji...I'm a guy." Shinji deadpanned.

Kaji sighed, _Still a work in progress this kid._

"6:30 tonight kiddo. I'll pick you up from Katsuragi's" Kaji said, walking away from the park, "Don't worry about cash...tonight's on me."

* * *

"Your synch-rate is great, Seol! It's up 1.8% from last time!"

Immersed in LCL within his plug, the boy known as Seol nodded. He was dressed in a blue-and-red plug suit, his face deep in concentration. He looked back at the screen, hesitated before he asked, "Rachel... is _he_ here today?"

There was a hesitation on the other side, and Seol knew that he wasn't. "I'm sorry, Seol. Your father he-"

"-Is a very important man, yes I know, Rache...are we done yet?" Seol interrupted. His only response was the draining of the LCL from around him. He sighed, content to be breathing oxygen again, before jumping out of the dummy plug with athletic agility, glad to be free from the stifling enclosure of the plug. The dummy plug next to his own opened simultaneously, revealing a lithe, pretty girl with reddish-brown hair. She saw Seol and smiled. "Hey Seol! Wait up!" she called out in Japanese.

Seol turned, a mock scowl on his face. "You know my Japanese is crap!" he said in flawless Japanese, "besides, we're in MY country, so we're going to be speaking in MY language!"

The girl put her hands on her hips and approached Seol menacingly, "You know I can't speak Korean to save my life!" she glowered. Despite the fact he was a whole head taller than the girl, Seol gulped. _Never piss off a girl who pilots a 50 foot tall biomechanical robot for a living._

"Any last words?" she asked, emphasizing each word with a poke to his chest. Seol merely shook his head, cowering pathetically, and managed to stammer, "I...er...I love you?"

Her scowl turned into a bright smile and she gave him a soft peck on the cheek, before she turned on her heels and headed for the locker room. "You know exactly how to push my buttons don't you!"

_It's funny how quickly she can go from death incarante to angel, _he chucked, before muttering softly, "That girl will be the death of me." _Not that I'm complaining..._

"Hey! I heard that!" she shouted in mock indignation as she turned back towards him.

_Merda!_

"Damn straight I will be, Mr. Park!" her hands once again rested on her hips as she glared at him.

His eyebrows rose. _'Mr'?_

Ignoring his look, she continued, this time with a dazzling smile. "Beg hard enough and I'll make sure it won't be excessively painful."

He gave her a mock salute, "Yes ma'am."

A booming voice over the speakers interrupted the couple. "Captain Park Ji-Seol, to report to Central Command immediately, I repeat-"

He sighed. "I guess I'll see you later, huh?"

"Yeah..." _Does she sound...disappointed? Better make it up to her _

"Umm, tell you what, I'll take you out to dinner tonight." _Tu sei piu stupido!_

"Ooh, is the mighty captain asking ME out on a date?" she asked with a smirk. He winced at the 'D'-word.

"Consider it a dinner between colleagues and best friends."

"A date it is!" Seol groaned in response. "You pick the place...just don't make it too expensive, ok? After our last one, I was eating instant ramen for a week." He shuddered slightly.

"Always" she said with a wink.

_I bet it'll be that fancy European restaurant again..._

"I'd better go" he said, quickly, blowing her a kiss even as he ran down the corridor, a content smile plastered on his face.

* * *

"How'd he do, General?" asked a middle-aged Korean man, his stocky frame well masked by the suit he wore.

General Kim, a man looking almost 20 years older, coughed nervously before saying, "Very well, sir. His synchronization rate today was at 56.6%. That's an increase of almost 10% in the past 3 months."

Whistles and murmurs of appreciation, smiles and wide-eyed looks were exchanged by the occupants of the room at the statement. Kim waited for them to quiet down before continuing, "He is your son after all, sir."

The suited man smiled a little at this, "Well, that he is MY son after all..." Polite chuckles echoed throughout the room. "How is he going along in his other...endeavours?"

"He's settled in at school, though he's been slightly behind in the homework- understandable, considering that with Unit-04's activation imminent, we've been pushing him hard to ensure that there is maximum compatibility between pilot and EVA..." The man frowned at this, but motioned impatiently for the General to continue with his right hand. "He completed the EVA combat training with flying colours- especially in marksmanship and unarmed combat, where he scored 91% and 88% respectively." More whistles and smiles greeted this.

"And the girl?" the man asked.

"She's doing exceptional as well, sir. Her synchronization rate has increased almost 7% over the last 3 months, and she also completed the EVA combat training with excel-"

"-What's her synchronization rate, General?" the man interrupted.

General Kim hesitated, before replying "The girl's synchronization rate sits at 62.38%, sir, but she has almost reached her potential while-"

"-Cancel the meeting." the man said, walking out the door. He was escorted by twenty burly agents, all bearing the generic black suit and sunglasses.

General Kim sighed. _Great, now I have to clean up this damned mess._

* * *

"You want me to do what?!" Shinji looked at Kaji with a look clearly questioning his sanity. Kaji sighed, _I knew that this was going to be difficult, but still..._

"Look Shinji, we all know you've finished your degree, but a kid your age needs to have some fun with some friends their own age." Seeing Shinji was about to interrupt, Kaji plowed forward. "Yes, we know you've got me and Katsuragi, and the bridge bunnies, maybe even Cat-Lady Ritsuko, but heck, we're all old enough to be your parents" he sighed, "Now that you've finished your degree and basic EVA training, all you have to do is come in for your harmonics tests, physicals and CQC, so it's not like you're going to be busy at NERV. It'll also make me and Misato's jobs a HELL of a lot easier."

Shinji remained silent, and Kaji instantly cursed himself for how his last words came out.

_Shit._ _Damn Katsuragi for putting me in such an awkward position!_

"You know I didn't mean it like that, Shinji...it's just that...we know we're not the best guardians. Dammit, with me having to stalk you like some fucked-up celebrity paparazzi 24/7, and Katsuragi having to be at NERV all the time with paperwork..." Kaji sighed- again, his frustration getting the better of him. _I've been doing too much of that recently_, he thought.

The young Ikari, in the meantime, looked at his joint-guardian, shocked at the uncharacteristic loss of composure. _He's trembling like a leaf,_ Kaji thought. "Shinji, we just want you to have some fun, and enjoy yourself. We just want what's best for you because, heck, we care for you- Not 'Pilot Ikari'; Not 'The Third Child'; Y_ou_."

At these last words, Shinji broke into tears, and Kaji put an arm around the boy's shoulder while remaining seated on his barstool. _Good job 'Kaji-sama', _he thought sarcastically. _You made him cry._ "D-dont you w-want me around any-anymore?" Shinji managed to get out between sobs.

Kaji's grip tightened on Shinji's shoulder. "Don't you EVER think that, kiddo. You are probably the best thing that happened to me and Katsuragi. Heck, without you, she'll probably have dumped a boring guy like me and run off with some millionaire...God knows she deserves more than I can give." Shinji continued to sob, though less loudly and Kaji pressed his advantage, "We'll never leave you, kiddo. Don't you dare think otherwise for a moment!"

"W-what if I stop piloting EVA?"

_So that was it._ Kaji thought. He marvelled at how everything wrong in Shinji Ikari's life all came down to 3 things. _EVA, EVA and...EVA_. Shinji had lost his family to it. He had been deprived of his childhood because of it, forced to study calculus at an age where he should be starting to notice girls. He was always in the hospital because of it- and there has only been one Angel attack so far. _One down, god knows how many to go..._ And his sense of self-worth, as well as his perception of his identity as an individual was inexplicably bound to it.

_It's all he knows._ The thought made Kaji feel sick.

Sick that they were relying on a 14 year old child to save their lives; without even a moment's consideration for his well being.

Sick that they had taken everything worth living from his life without a second thought.

But most of all, Kaji felt sick at himself. For doing nothing. For turning a blind eye even as the drama unfolded before him like some Shakespearean tragedy: The tragedy that was -and still remained- the existence of Shinji Ikari. It was the sign of his utter failure as a guardian up until this point. He planned to change that.

_But nothing is going to change the fact he's still burdened with the fate of the world._

_If there was any other choice, we wouldn't have kids pilot these monstrosities _he justified to himself. _But the survival of the human race depends on him!_ It was an impossible burden for a child to bear, even one with the inner strength of Shinji Ikari. To place such a burden on such a tortured soul in itself could only be categorized in one way. Cruelty.

_Do we deserve to survive as a race, when we commit such atrocities without a second thought? _He wondered to himself. He doubted it.

Turning his attention back to Shinji, he said quietly, "I don't care about EVA, Shinji. Neither does Katsuragi... We both care about you, kiddo; EVA or no EVA, we'd still be there. EVA is part of our jobs, Shinji, just as it is a part of yours."

Kaji drew a deep breath before continuing, "But you're part of our family. One can always find a new job. One never stops being family though" He grinned "even if they wanted to."

The brown haired boy stopped sobbing with a final, drawn-out sigh,his face buried deep in Kaji's chest. They sat in silence for a while, before Kaji eyed Shinji's lemonade, sitting unfinished in front of them. "You're gonna finish that, kiddo?" Hearing the muffled snoring sounds being emitting from his chest region, he muttered, "'guess not" and sculled the beverage, before draping the boy across his back. He left the establishment after leaving several notes on the table.

While Kaji wasn't delusional enough to believe that Shinji's inner demons had been conquered, he knew that he had helped the boy take his first steps towards recovery. Baby steps, mind you- years of heartbreak and the pains of a tortured soul are not mended in a single day, and sometimes a lifetime is not enough. While Kaji hoped that the boy didn't fall in the latter, in the Third Child's case, Kaji suspected that only facing his inner demons would allow the boy to fully heal. But Kaji had been able to help in his own little way, just as a guardian should. And for that he was proud.

* * *

"Come on, you've got to tell me what's wrong?" the redheaded girl whined, annoyed at her boyfriend's silence.

They had been sitting in the classy French/German/Italian restaurant overlooking the Han River for about twenty minutes, and he had yet to utter a word. Although the sounds of fellow dinners engaged in conversation, the frantic movements of waiters and the graceful notes of _Air in G_ from the restaurant quartet swamped the room, the lack of conversation, however mundane ws unsettling for the vibrant girl.

With a frustrated growl she turned to the waiter, fed up with her fellow pilot's behaviour, and began to take her order. She gave him occasional glances, in between bouts of German, but seeing his gaze was preoccupied with the view, she stopped quickly. The German waiter who had been serving them was pleasantly surprised to see that the girl spoke German, and began to converse with her for a while before walking away with their menus under his arm.

She turned her attention back to her boyfriend. "That's it...tell me what the HELL is wrong with you before I seriously hurt you" she growled.

Seol turned to the pretty girl, opening his mouth as if to say something, closed it, and opened it again "I didn't know you spoke German."

She looked unimpressed at his pathetic attempt at changing conversation, but obliged him nonetheless. "I did live there for 3 years and trained at NERV Germany for 2, _Mein Liebling_"

He raised an eyebrow, "Mien wha-?"

"Doesn't matter...question remains: What the _Hell_ is wrong with you?!"

Seol was about to go back to his brooding when he noticed the concern in her eyes, and he hesitated. "L-look...I-I'll tell you when I'm ready, ok?" he gave her a pleading look, begging her to understand.

She nodded, her face turning into a look of relief. "OK." She smiled brightly, now that her good mood restored.

Just as well, as their order arrived with impeccable timing.

"What the HELL is this thing?!" Seol demanded, looking at his plate.

"It's called Brackwurst." she said, exasperated.

"Black-wha?!" he poked it with his fork, looking at it warily. He looked at it as though that at any instant his meal was about to grow limbs and deploy an AT-Field...either that or grow wings.

"Bra- you know what, nevermind! Serves you right for wallowing in self-pity instead of looking over the menu...I took the pleasure of ordering for you. Be grateful your girlfriend is so thoughtful!"

_Grazie signora_" the boy replied sarcastically.

"That's Italian, you _dummkopf_!" she retorted, though her lips curled into a small, amused smile.

"_Si, lo so_!" he fired, rolling his eyes.

They ate in comfortable silence for a while, status quo restored, before the redhead hesitantly asked, "H-hey...where did you learn to use a knife and fork so well?"

She jumped at the sudden 'clang' of cutlery against ceramic.

"From my father..." he said quietly. That subject was taboo between them. It was an unspoken, but nonetheless very real Berlin Wall...and they both knew it.

She looked down at her plate. _Dammit, way to ruin the mood, you stupid girl._

They continued to eat in silence. It no longer felt as comfortable.

* * *

It was only 9:15pm when Kaji trudged into the Katsuragi residence, 110 pound of EVA pilot draped across his back.

_Damn those Section 2 agents for not helping! I'm their superior, dammit! When I get my hands on then, I'll-_

"About time you guys got back from your date." Misato whispered, not wanting to wake Shinji, though she did have the slightest hint of a smirk on the corner of her lips: She was Katsuragi Misato after all. Her expression turned serious. "How'd he take the idea?"

Kaji didn't reply. Not verbally anyway. He dropped his cargo into his bedroom, being careful not to wake the boy. He then stepped out of the apartment, coming back with a pile of textbooks, stationary and school uniforms.

Misato frowned. There was no way in _Hell_ she was going to show Kaji how impressed she was. "How did you know his sizes?" she asked instead.

The agent smiled knowingly as he exited the apartment, turning his head with a debonair swish of his ponytail at the door. "The same way I know yours...Shinji told me." He was gone.

Misato went back to nursing her beer and turned on the TV, though she was too busy shooting death glares at Shinji's door, and grumbling about ways she could get away with murder and hide the body. Pen-Pen, who had been about to grab a Yebisu from the sofa-side table, wisely withdrew to his sanctuary.

Outside, Kaji chuckled. _Poor kid won't know what he's in for tomorrow._

* * *

**NOTE: AUTHORS LOVE REVIEWS!**


	4. Season 1:Episode 3: Borderline Case

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion, or its associated brandnames.

Edmond_Dantes presents:

**Neon Genesis Evangelion: Remade**

**Season 1: Episode 3: BORDERLINE CASE**

* * *

"Ikari, attempts to deceive the Committee are sufficient grounds for your removal." Keel Lorenz's obnoxious voice echoed throughout the dark chamber.

Gendo Ikari remained in his standard pose, his face an expressionless mask. "I assure you, NERV has nothing to hide before the honored Committee." The slightest hint of mockery edged his voice, though if any of the Committee noticed, they did not acknowledge it.

"Then why has NERV allocated additional funds towards internal security?" asked the French member haughtily.

"The risks towards NERV from terrorist and hostile organizations are significant. It is a necessary precaution to ensure the success of the scenario" the Commander replied evenly.

_Your scenario or ours, Ikari?_ Keel wondered.

"Enough for an investment of 400 million yen?!" the Frenchman's voice rang out again, this time clearly laced with incredulity.

"Considering the minimal damaged suffered to Unit-01 and the infrastructure of Tokyo-3 druing the attack of the Third Angel, the funds were surplus to the budget set down by this Committee. It was an executive decision."

The members of the Human Instrumentality Committee did not bother to hide their disbelief. Russia spoke, "You do not honestly believe that do you, Ikari? We know that NERV has been recruiting ex-special forces to boost its security- former SAS, Navy Seals, Delta Force...even Spetsnaz from my country! NERV's purpose is to destroy the Angels. What the HELL does NERV plan to do with an army?!"

"ENOUGH!" roared the voice of Keel. "There is nothing to suggest that NERV's intentions are anything but honest. Provided that this...unnecessary action doesn't affect our scenario predicted in the Scrolls, it is irrelevant" Keel's attention turned solely to Gendo "Ikari, you are dismissed."

The holograms of the Human Instrumentality Committee disappeared, leaving only the NERV Commander flanked by his right-hand man. The Vice Commander cleared his throat. Then: "Do you think they suspect that we know of their plans?" he asked.

The younger man smirked, though there was no genuine humor behind the tinted glass. "No. Nonetheless, the old men are disturbed. They will attempt to enter a spy into our midst. Thankfully, they are indecisive. They will not act until they are certain. Whether of information or victory it is irrelevant. It is however, what makes them so...malleable."

_Arrogant as ever, eh, Ikari?_ Kouzou thought scathingly. He nodded. "Should I inform Section 2 to tighten security?"

Gendo's smirk turned upwards into his insufferable smile. "That won't be necessary, professor."

Fuyutski dropped the issue, knowing that any further questions were pointless: Gendo Ikari was a man who played with his cards close to his chest, after all. "How is Rei's...recovery going?" he finally asked.

"Dr. Akagi reports that there have been slight...complications with her...recovery. Progress is slower than expected. She will be fit to pilot in another month."

"Complications?" the Vice-Commander queried.

"An unfortunate consequence of her unique...circumstances."

Fuyutski knew that he would get nothing more from Gendo on the matter, and changed topics smoothly. "...and what about Unit-00?"

"Unit-00 is salvageable. Dr. Akagi estimates 2 weeks."

_Ahh yes, that... _Kouzou thought, remembering the reactivation attempt of Unit-00 with the First Child the day before...

_The cyclopean, blue head of the abomination that was Prototype Evangelion Unit-00 loomed above the sea of Bakelite in which it was currently emerged. After the previous activation attempt a month ago had left Rei in critical condition and caused significant damage to the experiment cages –not to mention leaving Shinji in Unit-01 to face the Third Angel without back up- Dr. Akagi had ordered that the next reactivation attempt to occur while Unit-00 was in stasis and Unit-01 on standby. _

_The tension amongst the NERV crew was evident in the absence of mundane conversation, the wary glances and the slightly forced smiles. After all, it was very rare to have both the Commander and Vice-Commander on deck at the same time, especially for something as mundane as a re-activation test. _

_The Commander gave an almost imperceptible nod to the pseudo-blonde Doctor, and she turned back towards her army of technicians, barking commands and taking charge in a way that would put NERV's infamous Operations Director to shame. _

"_Is Unit-01 ready?" she asked. _

"_Almost" Maya answered from her terminal. "Pilot has just entered entry plug. Beginning synchronization procedure." _

"_Make it quick" Akagi said, turning her attention to the screen again. "Status update?" _

"_The First Child has just arrived at the EVA Cage. Level-3 restraints currently on Unit-00. External power supply feed active on both EVAs." Hyuga reported. _

_The head of Project E turned back to the Commander, perched upon his throne. "We are ready to begin the reactivation" her clear voice carried above the din of technicians, who were scrambling around like ants._

"_You may begin, Doctor." _

_Akagi froze at the Commander's tone, but nodded curtly and went back to work. _

_Fuyutski chuckled, but there was no humor in it. "Someday that woman will be the death of you, Ikari" he said. _

_The Commander's gaze focused intently on the screen."So long as she is useful, it is important to keep her in line...by any means necessary." _

_Fuyutski glanced down sharply at the younger man. Did Ikari just realize what he had let slip? If he had, he most certainly wasn't acknowledging it. The Vice Commander stared intently at his former student. His veteran eyes narrowed... and then widened slightly, as they noticed the subtle changes in his former student's body language. _

_The slight creases on his white gloves indicating a tightening of the fists... _

_The locking of the shoulder blades through his Commander's uniform... _

_The slight sheen of sweat across his forehead, made visible under the fluorescent lights hanging overhead... _

_The crow's nest at the corners of the ex-Professor's eyes faded noticeably, as his mind did the math: Gendo Ikari was nervous. In all the years he had known him, as his Professor of Biology at Kyoto University, and as his secondary at Gehrin- now-Nerv, he had never, ever seen Gendo Ikari nervous. Ikari was unflappable, his brilliant tactical and analytical mind allowing to plan, wheedle, engineer and predict everything...plan for everything. It unnerved the Vice-Commander. _

'_He's uncertain about the outcome...no, it's more than that' he realized 'he's afraid of the outcome...I'm missing something here' _

_The blaring of the alarms brought Fuyutski out of his reverie. _

"_Neural connections are reversing!"_

"_Plug depth reaching dangerous levels!"_

"_Mental contamination detected within the entry plug!"_

"_The pilot's psychograph is fluctuating rapidly!" _

"_The pilot's vitals are unstable!"_

_The control room descended into chaos as the technicians exchanged a seemingly endless stream of data over the torrid rain of rapidly typing keyboards. _

_Dr. Akagi reacted without hesitation "Begin emergency extraction of entry plug! Disconnect the external power supply! " _

'_Already?!' Fuyutski thought._

_Despite the gravity of the situation, the Commander seemed to relax on his 'throne'. Fuyutski didn't fail to notice, but remained silent. _

"_Extraction signal being rejected...it's being rejected by Unit-00!" Maya shouted. _

"_Unit-00 is attempting to break free of the restraints!" Hyuga's voice was laced with an edge of panic. _

'_Impossible!' Fuyutski thought. Part of the precautions taken in Unit-00's reactivation attempt was to leave its batteries uncharged, allowing them to disconnect and de-power the prototype Evangelion, in case it went berserk again. 'Someone screwed up big, or that EVA is running without any power' he thought. _

"_Prepare Unit-01 for deployment!" _

'_What, so early?' Fuyutski gave Gendo a warning glance, but the Commander made no move to counter Akagi's order. It infuriated the Vice Commander that Ikari could remain completely devoid of emotion while a child, even if it was only Rei Ayanmi, his precious doll, was suffering. If he didn't know any better, Fuyutski would believe that Gendo was almost...pleased at the situation. 'He was expecting this' Fuyutski thought angrily. _

"_Unit-00 has broken free of its restraints! It's making its way towards the control room through Cage 4!" Hyuga shouted in panic. _

"_How long til it breaks through the barriers?" Akagi demanded. _

"_Magi estimate at the current rate Unit-00 will break through the armour in 58 seconds."_

_Just then, a familiar purple-haired beauty stormed into the control room. _

"_You're late Captain!" Fuyutski reprimanded her. 'Have to atleast make myself seem useful', he thought wryly. He knew he was merely a passenger on this ride. _

"_My apologies, Vice Commander. Section 2 have informed me of the situation on the way over." It was virtually universal among NERV personnel to translate that as 'I was with Kaji'. Were it not for the gravity of the situation, someone would have slid in a sly comment._

"_As Operations Director, I will now take charge of the situation. We are now engaged in a military operation. Unit-00 has been reclassified as 'The Target'. Unit-01 to sortie. Disable and recover entry plug. Survival of pilot is top priority." _

_Despite himself, the Vice Commander was impressed, as the Captain's command instincts took over. It was easy to forget that perched on top of that sexy frame and behind that pretty face was the sharpest tactical mind Fuyutski has ever seen... Turning to glance at the Commander he thought, 'Well, almost the sharpest...'_

_It was times like these Misato Katsuragi loved to flaunt the attributed that had landed her the job as the Operations Manager for the paramilitary organizations responsible for the survival of the human race. And flaunt she did._

"_Open me a link with the Third Child!" she barked. Instantly, the entry plug of Unit-01 appeared on the tactical display of Central Dogma. _

"_Shinji!"_

"_M-Misato-san? W-what's going on with Unit-00?" Shinji asked nervously. _

"_Pilot Ikari, we have lost control over Unit-00. Your mission is to intercept the target and immobilize it before it reaches Central Dogma." _

_The Third Child's face turned into a mask of seriousness. It wasn't everyday that his joint- guardian turned 'professional Misato' on him. Nonetheless, he hesitated. _

'_Please don't ask the question Please don't ask the question Please don't ask the question'_

"_Misato...has the pilot been ejected?" _

_Misato hesitated..._

* * *

Shinji Ikari trudged down the walkway, his head down, SDAT headphones in. His gray-blue eyes stared without looking at the road immediately in front of his feet, and seemed to be glazed over in thought. It had been a month since been enrolled in Class 2-A at Kaji and Misato's insistence, and things had never seemed more desolate for the young pilot. At first, school had been a pleasant surprise, like an unexpected gift. Everyone had been fascinated with the appearance of a new student, especially considering that some students had already left the city after the first Angel attack. The girls giggled at how cute the transferee was: his neat ponytail (a result of Kaji's influence) and deep blue eyes attracting their attention instantly and almost anonymously. Shinji had no idea what to make of it. The boys on the other hand, had initially tried to befriend him, but most of them gave up- his introverted nature and social awkwardness too much for them. It didn't help that he gathered the attention of a fair few of the girls, and meant that some of them met Shinji with indifference, if not outright hostility. Shinji was left feeling bewildered. Again.

There were only two of his fellow students that the boy felt comfortable enough around to talk to. A bespectacled, sandy-haired boy called Kensuke Aida who was never far from his trusty camcorder; and a tall, athletically-built and dark-skinned boy called Toji Suzuhara, who wore his track suit like a second skin. While the Class Representative, Hikari Horaki was nice, the way she brutally punished Toji for the most minor of indiscretions absolutely terrified the brown haired boy.

_Reminds me of how Misato is with Kaji..._

The thought of Misato made Shinji stop in his tracks. His left hand clenched repeatedly by his was possibly the last person Shinji wanted to see at this moment in time, coming a narrow second to his father. It was the very reason why the Third Child was wandering the streets of Tokyo-3 instead of returning to his apartment. The events of two days ago were fresh in his mind, and left an acrid taste in his mouth and pain in his heart.

"_18 seconds until Unit-00 reaches Central Dogma!" The voice over the channel yelled. Shinji vaguely recognized it as Hyuga's. Shinji willed his EVA to move faster._

_Unit-01 arrived without a moment to spare. Shinji grabbed the blue EVA's arms back, Unit-01's grabbing them by the shoulder joint from behind. _

_Unit-00 turned with ferocious strength, removing Unit-01's grip and forcing it back into the corridor. The purple evangelion crashed into a metal wall, leaving a significant dent in it. _

_The berserk Unit-00 turned its attention back to its mission at hand, its arms ripping through the plated armor like it wasn't even there._

"_17 seconds!"_

"_Unit-01 has gone silent!" _

"_16 seconds!"_

"_How's Shinji?!"_

"_15 seconds!"_

"_Pilot is drifting in and out of consciousness!" _

"_14 seconds!"_

"_How are his vitals?" _

"_13 seconds!"_

"_Stable, Captain!" _

"_12 seconds until target breaks into Central Dogma!"_

_Shinji felt as though his skull had been caved in with a baseball bat. He could barely think, let alone see. He wanted so bad to just sleep..._

"_11 seconds. 10, 9..."_

_He vaguely heard the countdown coming through the speakers, though in his delirious state the significance of the timer didn't register._

"_8, 7,6,.." _

'_I failed again, didn't I?' He thought. 'Everyone's going to die, just like las-'_

"_4,3,2- Unit-01 has reactivated!"_

_Unit-00 noticed this, and turned back to its adversary._

_Unit-01 raised itself back onto its feet with a roar, its eyes gleaming from behind its face plate-just in time to dodge a brutal swipe that would have decapitated it._

_It dodged the next wild swipe of the berserk EVA, stepping inside to deliver a devastating uppercut to its cyclopean head. The blow reeled the blue behemoth back, but the Beast wasn't done yet, as it followed with a brutal right-handed blow that turned Unit-00 around 180 degrees, sprawled on the aftermath of its rampage through NERV HQ._

_The blue EVA struggled to get back up, but found the formidable bulk of Unit-01 on its back. _

_It did not register in Shinji Ikari's mind that the neck armour of Unit-00 was sealed shut, indicating the presence of an entry plug and therefore a pilot. _

"_Pilot's synchronization rate up 40.98%!"_

_It did not register in Shinji Ikari's mind that Unit-00's struggling was getting weaker. _

"_Has it gone berserk?!"_

_It did not register in Shinji Ikari's mind that all of the blue EVA's limbs were broken. _

"_No sempaii, the pilot is in complete control!"_

"_Impossible!"_

"_Shinji-kun!"_

_All that was registering in Shinji Ikari's mind was one burning thought: that this creature was threatening to kill everyone that mattered in Shinji Ikari's life. _

_Misato _

_Kaji _

_Ritsuko _

_Hyuga _

_Maya _

_Aoba _

_The Third Child felt an unsurmountable hatred overcome him, mixed with pain...then anger._

"_DIE!" He screamed. "DO YOU THINK I'LL EVER LET ANYONE TAKE THEM AWAY FROM ME?!" His voice barely sounded human. _

"_I WON'T LET IT HAPPEN! NEVER AGAIN!" he screamed between blows. _

"_I'D RATHER DIE THAN FEEL THAT AGAIN! YOU HEAR ME?! I'D RATHER DIE!" Unit-01 continued to rain devastating blows upon Unit-00's remains. _

"_DIE! DIE! DIE!" He didn't remember when he began crying, vaguely noting the tears streaming down his face and mixing with the LCL in his entry plug, while he pulverized Unit-00 with brutal efficiency. _

"_S-S-Shinji....STOP! Please...Oh god!" The agonized voice of Maya Ibuki finally brought Shinji out of his rage. He looked down at the remains of Unit-00...and nearly emptied his stomach into the LCL. _

_Unit-00's head was pulp, its single eye having ruptured under Unit-01's wrath. Green-blue fluid streamed from the wrecked head armor, contrasting sharply with the grey-metal floor of NERV HQ. The rest of its body faired little better- The left arm had been nearly ripped out of its socket, barely being held towards the torso by several tendons, blood streaming from the wound. The 'torso', if it could be called that anymore, was the least damaged part –which considering the mangled limbs and pulverised skull, wasn't much consolation- with the armor cracked and dented in places across its back where Unit-01 had been straddling it._

"_Unit-01's pilot's vitals are stable!" _

"_Rescue team deployed."_

"_MAGI have begun assessment of the damage!" _

"_EVA recovery teams have been deployed."_

_Shinji took in deep breaths, emotionally exhausted, when Misato's voice came through the communications channel. "...Shinji, return Unit-01 to the EVA cage and prepare for extraction from the entry plug." _

_Shinji nodded, his face devoid of emotion. In his trance-like state, he did not notice the hint of panic in Misato's voice. He began to will his EVA back towards the cages, when a new emotion took over. _

'_Everyone's ok' he thought to himself. 'I didn't fail this time. Everyone I care about is safe...thanks to EVA' the thought. He felt no regret at destroying Unit-00 with such brutality. It had tried to take away everything that mattered in his life. If he hadn't done it, everyone would have died, right? As it was, everyone was OK- Misato, Kaji, Aoba, Hyuga, Ritsuko, Maya...his father, even the pil- _

_Shinji stopped in its tracks. 'Rescue team deployed...Rescue team deployed...' Shinji felt his heart sink._

_Unit-01 turned, and ran down the corridor...back towards its defeated foe... _

Shinji was brought out of his reminiscing at that point.

The sirens had just begun their low wail across the city.

_Angel attack..._

* * *

"Hey Toji, don't you think it's a little odd that the new kid wasn't at school today?"

Toji Suzuhara looked over from where he was sitting in the shelter towards the bespectacled otaku known as Kensuke Aida.

"What do you mean? So he took da Day off. So what?"

Kensuke sighed. While he could appreciate his tracksuited friend had a 'jock' reputation to maintain, and acted dumber than he was, it didn't mean that the reputation was _entirely_ undeserved. Still, it was times like these that Kensuke wondered what had made them such good friends; after all they were polar opposites- the athletic star of the basketball team and...the military-obsessed supernerd. Kensuke sighed. _Atleast we have Shinji as well now..._

"Think about it. People are leaving this city in droves, ever since that attack. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a new kid arrives- no history, nothing. To top it off, the day of the next attack he's not at school! Don't you think that's a little odd?" Kensuke reasoned

The jock looked at Kensuke with a slight frown, "His parents probably work for NERV or something, just moved into the city. As for not being at school, it's just coincidence...innocent til' proven guilty, right?"

Kensuke's eyes gleamed from behind his glasses. "You think that, but I've been doing a little research-"

"-You mean hacking into your dad's computer?" Toji sighed, interrupting.

"S-shut up!" Kensuke said, taken aback by the other boy's knowledge of his 'hobby'. "Anyway, you are right, in a way...Shinji's dad is Gendo Ikari. Commander of NERV, Gendo Ikari."

Toji's gaze turned back to Kensuke so fast that the crack of the jock's neck was audible over the din of conversation within the shelter. "What, are you- OWWWW!...my neck, dammit!"

Toji's yell attracted the attention of those nearby, including one Hikari Horaki, who gave them a glare. Both boys gulped audibly and gave a nervous smile and apology to the class rep. "S-sorry class rep!" Appeased, Hikari turned back to her group of friends, and the boys returned to their conversation.

"So...Shinji's dad the supreme commander of NERV?" Toji whispered.

"Yeah...that's not all" Kensuke continued, "I tried to hack into their mainframe- you know, those supercomputers- the MAGI?"

"Uh-huh." Toji seemed unimpressed.

"Well it didn't get me very far..." Kensuke admitted sheepishly.

"Woah, really?" Toji deadpanned.

_I deserved that one._ Kensuke thought, before continuing "But...I overheard my dad and his co-worker when they were having drinks at our house last week. They thought I was asleep..."

Once again, Toji was intrigued. "...and?"

"They were talking about someone called the 'Third Child'...apparently the pilots of those giant robots are designated by numbers. The 'First Child' is also in Tokyo-3, but the 'Second Child' is in Germany." Kensuke's voice was a barely audible whisper by this stage.

The dark-skinned boy was stunned by the revelation "So...you're saying that the pilots are 'children'? They're...kids? J-Just like us? Wait a minute, that means-"

"-that Shinji could be the pilot of the giant purple mecha from the last battle. It would explain where he got those bruises on his ribs....and those burns on his shoulders..."

Both boys remembered vividly the day that they had seen those wounds, so unnatural for a 14 year old boy, and shuddered at the memory- It had been during PE, the first PE class that Shinji was required to partake in, and both the boys and girls would be swimming, due to the fact the school track was closed, after debris had fallen onto it from the previous attack...

_Toji and Kensuke were getting changed into their swimming trunks, when Shinji had walked in dejectedly. The boys in class 2-A had seem him trying to convince the teacher to let him skip this class, and many gave him looks of disgust as the brown haired boy walked into the change room and began to strip._

_Toji had been unabashedly checking out his reflection in the mirror when he noticed the deafening silence in the change room. He turned. Every single pair of eyes were staring straight at the upper torso of one Ikari Shinji, who had removed his white-collared school shirt and was in the process of removing his pants when he had noticed the stares. His eyes were glued to the ground. _

_Toji was shocked. While no body builder, for a 14 year old boy, Shinji Ikari was ripped. Not in a bulky or even well built way, but there was no denying that he had muscle definition far in excess of any 14 year old Toji had seen, even heard of. But that wasn't the only thing attracting the stares. A series of ugly, purple-and-black bruises outlined his left ribcage, while there were numerous cuts across his arms. The worse of the injuries though, were his shoulders- the skin was clearly discoloured, lighter in texture to the rest of Ikari's body. It looked like someone had put a hot iron onto them in different places. Shinji simply finished changing and walked out of the room. Then the talking began..._

"I thought those were from fighting, or something" Toji muttered.

Kensuke looked at him, eyebrows raised. "How do you get secondary burns from fighting?"

The dark-skinned boy didn't reply for a second, and then turned to the nerd. "I'm going to go and see the battle. Coming?"

Kensuke would give a leg to watch the battle, but he remained sceptical at Toji's incentives. "Why would you want to go see the battle?"

Toji shifted uncomfortably before saying, "I have my reasons. Now, let's go- the Class Rep just went to the bathroom!"

* * *

"Pilot's status?" Misato asked.

This time, Maya responded "Pilot's vitals are stable, but..." she hesitated.

Misato's eyes snapped from the screen to the technician, "What's the problem?"

"His synchronization rate is barely over the borderline!"

Misato's eyes widened. _Shinji-kun..._

She realized that everyone in the room was looking at her, awaiting the order to launch Unit-01.

The purple-haired captain hesitated. _Why had his synchronization rate lowered so dramatically?!_ She wondered to herself. _You know exactly why._

The cold voice of Commander Ikari broke Misato's train of thought. "What's the delay, Captain?" he demanded.

"Sir, the Third Child's synchronization rate with Unit-01 is barely over the borderline. He is in no condition to engage in combat!" she protested.

Vice Commander Fuyutski, at the Commander's side as usual, frowned. "What other choice do we have, Captain? Unit-01 is the only Evangelion currently at our disposal."

Gendo added in a voice that could freeze boiling water "If you cannot do your job, Captain...I will find someone capable of doing so."

'_Bastard King' is an understatement...no wonder Shinji hates you so much._

The purple-haired captain's contorted into an expression of fury, while her hands balled into fists at her side... but she kept her mouth shut.

Gendo Ikari smirked behind his hands.

As much as she hated to admit it, Misato knew that there was no other option. With Unit-02 and the Second Child still a month away from arriving, the burden of the survival of the world rested with EVA Unit-01, and therefore Shinji Ikari- a 14 year old with enough personal baggage to shoulder, even without the burden of the survival of humanity.

Misato turned her head back to the command display "E-EVA Launch!" she managed.

There was a slight delay in the carrying out of her order, the entirety of the NERV crew on Central Dogma having being drawn into the exchange between the Supreme Commander and the Operations Director.

A display monitor indicated that Unit-01 was being carried up the lift from the Geofront at high velocity.

"Unit-01 has reached the surface, Captain! It has reached Lift E" Hyuga reported.

Misato looked up at the display_. Be safe, Shinji..._

* * *

"You know, I wouldn't mind having some popcorn...and a smoothie would be nice too" Seol remarked. Seated next to him, his red-haired girlfriend giggled.

"You're such an ass, Seol."

He grinned, "But...I'm your smartass, right?" He gave her his best puppy dog look.

She pretended to think, and after a few seconds, he gave her a playful shove, forcing her from her seat on to the ground.

"You jerk" she said, laughing, while she got back to her seat.

"Quiet!" A voice snapped in Korean behind them. The young couple turned their attention back to the screen, just in time for the show to begin.

* * *

"ETA for arrival of Angel 3 minutes." Maya reported

"You got that, Shinji-kun?"

"..."

"Shinji-kun?"

"...yes"

Misato breathed a huge sigh of relief. It was all she could do to keep herself together. "Ok, you are to deploy your AT-Field and neutralize the Angel's. Then you are to engage the enemy from distance using a pallet rifle. There is one in Silo Y, 500m to your left...Shinji-kun?"

Unit-01 did not move "..."

"Shinji-kun?!" Misato yelled again, panic in her voice.

"...What's the point, Misato-san?" the voice that responded was so full of pain, and Misato felt like her heart would break.

Hearing silence at the other end, Shinji continued, "All I ever do inside EVA is hurt people. I can never do anything right." His voice began to waver, but he continued "I-I killed her, Misato. It's all my fault."

Misato remained silent.

"...I-If it wasn't for me, m-maybe she would still be alive."

Misato opened her mouth, but Shinji continued before words came out of it, "No matter what I say, or do, she's dead...and she's not coming back." He took a deep breath of LCL before continuing, "Do you know why, I pilot EVA, Misato-san?"

Misato shook her head sadly.

"I used to pilot EVA because I had no choice. My...father" he hissed the word, "threatened to kill my adopted family if I didn't come back to Tokyo-3"

"Shinji, I-"

His body shook, tears falling down his face, even as he continued, "-and you know what, Misato-san? They died anyway."

Misato was silent. She knew what was coming.

"THEY DIED BECAUSE I HAD RUN AWAY, DAMMIT!' He screamed, "BECAUSE I WAS TOO CAUGHT UP IN HOW HARD IT WAS BEING AN EVA PILOT" He shuddered now, and began to sob in between breaths. He looked at Misato through the display.

Misato nearly recoiled at the sight. _I have never seen anyone in so much pain._ And it was true. No matter what problems Misato had had with her own childhood, nothing and no-one she knew, had come close to this- his eyes were haunted, the blue-gray rimmed by blood-shot red, his lips trembling, his face distorted beyond recognition in despair and self-loathing.

_He is too hard on himself._ Misato thought.

As if he could read her thoughts, the rage took over again, and his eyes narrowed, glinting dangerously. "I FAILED THEM, MISATO! ALL I HAD TO DO WAS GET IN THAT ENTRY PLUG AND GO! BUT I DIDN'T AND NOW THEY'RE GONE!" His voice lowered to a hoarse whisper "gone...because of me. They showered me with love and kindness and I rewarded them with death...just like her."

Misato's eyes flashed open with realization, as she remembered the aftermath of the slaughter of Unit-00 two days ago...

"_We've recovered the entry plug, Captain. Beginning emergency LCL draining" the officer in charge of the recovery team reported. _

"_You know, she won't have survived, Misato. The entry plug is fractured in 7 places. It was never designed to withstand that kind of punishment" Ritsuko commented from the side."Even if she did, the MAGI sensors indicate that the pilot was synched to the EVA the whole time. The neural feedback from the EVA would have overloaded her nervous system. At the very least, she would be crippled for life and brain dead." _

_Misato hung her head. It was all true, after all._

_She received a confirmation from the team soon after "Captain, confirmation that Pilot Unit-00- Ayanami, Rei, designated First Child killed in action._

'_Thank god Shinji doesn't have to know about this' she thought to herself. Misato was now thankful for the Commander's lie- Misato had hesitated, debating whether or not to tell Shinji that Rei was still inside Unit-00; Shinji was a gentle soul, and it was likely that if he knew he might be hurting another human being, it was likely he would refuse. 'It wouldn't have been the first time' Misato thought. In that moment of hesitation, Commander Ikari had taken over, lying to Shinji's face that the pilot had been ejected and a recovery crew was on its way. How thankful Misato was- that she was not the one to tell the lie. _

"_Captain, Unit-01 has turned around! It is returning to the remains of Unit-00!" _

'_Shit!'_

_The next moments folded out like a Shakespearean tragedy- in slow motion. _

_Misato turned, "Open me up a private transmission with the entry plug of Unit-01!" she yelled. _

_But it was too little, too late. An inhuman scream erupted from the entry plug of Unit-01. _

_Everyone in Central Dogma flinched, frozen in horror at the sheer pain in that scream- except one. "Lieutenant Ibuki, raise the LCL pressure in the entry plug to maximum and transmit the signal for emergency withdrawal of entry plug."_

"_Y-yes... c-c- commander." Maya stammered. _

_Shinji's agonized screams were cut off abruptly. Didn't stop every person in Central Dogma hearing them though. _

_Misato felt the tears well up in her eyes. "I don't know how much more of this I can take" she whispered, wiping tears from her face. It was all she could do at this point to keep herself together. Suddenly, she felt herself being enveloped by a hug from behind._

'_Wha-who?' _

_Then the familiar scent hit her, and she felt a tickle on her right cheek. "Shhh, let it all out, darling" Kaji whispered soothingly, as he dragged her out of Central Dogma. _

_They stopped in Kaji's office, and Misato balled her eyes out for the next twenty minutes, Kaji doing his best to calm her down, holding her head to his chest. _

"_Feeling better?" he asked softly. _

_Misato shook her head. _

"_I-I'm going to be gone for a while, Misato" he whispered. _

_Misato jerked her head away from his chest, and looked up at him through red-rimmed eyes. _

"_I'm going on a mission for NERV" he answered her questioning gaze, "I am to escort Unit-02 and its pilot to Tokyo-3. I am to leave immediately- Commander Ikari's orders." The next words came out in a whisper, "I need you to look after him, Misato, while I'm gone. He'll need you. When the time comes, help him." _

Misato knew what she had to do now. Kaji was right. Shinji needed her.

"S-Shinji...there's something I need to tell you..."

* * *

**NOTE**: **AUTHORS LOVE REVIEWS!**

**SPECIAL THANKS TO**: _**inuzuka pau**_ for his reviews and support!


	5. Season 1:Episode 4:You are Not Alone

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion, or its associated brandnames.

* * *

Misato knew what she had to do now. Kaji was right. Shinji needed her.

"S-Shinji...there's something I need to tell you..."

* * *

Edmond_Dantes presents:

**Neon Genesis Evangelion: Remade**

**Season 1: Episode 4: Homecoming/You are Not Alone**

* * *

Shinji grimaced, willing Unit-01 to back onto its feet. Putting distance between the purple Evangelion and the Angel, he willed his shoulder pauldron open, reaching for his...- huh?!

"Misato, where's my Prog Sword?" Shinji demanded.

Dr. Akagi answered him "Shinji, your Progressive Sword was damaged in the last Angel attack. Since it's one of a kind, we haven't been able to replace it. Your old one is being repaired... I'm sorry, but you're going to have to do without it."

The Third Child's heart sank. Ever since Dr. Akagi had designed him the weapon for him (after noticing Shinji's aptitude for swords), the young boy had poured hours upon hours into mastering it- both within his EVA and outside of it- without it, he felt...inadequate.

Misato seemed to read his thoughts "You still have your Progressive Knife, however." Misato's words barely registered in Shinji's brain, as he already began to will Unit-01 by instinct, his years of EVA training coming to the fore.

Unit-01 dodged the next swipe from the oversized purple tentacles with a graceful roll to his right. Inside the entry plug, Shinji's face was a mask of concentration. Putting space between the EVA and its opponent, he willed the behemoth to draw its progressive knife from its shoulder pauldron.

_Ready._

Resembling a giant Bowie knife, the Progressive Knife, like the Progressive Sword that Shinji favoured worked on the principle of a superheated, supercharged blade of incredibly tough metal, allowing it to cut through virtually anything. Thankfully, unlike the Sword, which due to its enormous size and energy requirements had to rely on the EVA for its power, the Knife had its own internally charged battery and could be used virtually indefinitely.

_Perfect._

He waited, patiently, the Knife blade facing the ground. The Angel charged, and Shinji's pilot instincts taking over, dodging the next slashing tentacle with a smooth sidestep to the right of the Angel. In the same motion he stepped forward fluidly, putting himself inside the Angel's guard...and in range of his Knife.

_Gotcha._

The creature responded by slashing back with its left tentacle, which Unit-01 promptly cut off with its weapon. The other tentacle slashed towards Unit-01, which it promptly grabbed in its free hand. Reversing the grip on the EVA-sized weapon, the mighty purple beast designated Evangelion Unit-01 promptly freed the appendage from the Angel's body.

A high-pitched wailing sound emerged from the mouth of the Angel, as it screamed in pain.

* * *

"Now that's what I call REAL pil- OWWW! What was that for?!" Seol cried out angrily.

"Hmph!"

* * *

"Energy build-up in target's core!" Hyuga yelled from his terminal.

"What?!" Dr. Akagi managed.

"Shinji-kun!" Misato yelled in warning.

Back inside Unit-01's entry plug, Shinji's eyes widened as the Angel's core began to glow. Having closed the distance in order to engage in close combat, he knew Unit-01 didn't have enough time to avoid the blow that was coming.

_Oh shi-_

With the Evangelion's AT-Field neutralized by its close proximity to the Angel's, the blow hit Unit-01 at full-force on the chest, sending the purple behemoth sprawling through the city...and into a nearby hill.

* * *

"Ouch."

* * *

"Status report on Unit-01?!" demanded

"Minimal damage to chest armor. Unit-01 is ok." Maya shouted over the din.

"The Pilot?" Misato yelled.

This time, Aoba responded "Pilot has suffered minor burns to his chest from the feedback to his nervous system from EVA...He seems dazed, but conscious. H-"

"- Damage to the umbilical cable! Automatic ejection of cable complete...Unit-01 has switched to internal power!" Makoto yelled in panic.

_Shit._ Misato thought. Turning back to the screen, she watched as Unit-01's internal battery timer ran towards zero...

_What now, Misato?_

* * *

Shinji clutched his chest. He felt like someone had poked it with a red-hot iron. Even through his plugsuit's chest armor, he could feel the heat on the burn.

He looked up- the Angel had been ignoring him, thinking that it had defeated its enemy, and was blasting away at Tokyo-3 in a methodical manner, building by building.

_It's looking for something..._Shinji realized in a moment of clarity.

He turned to the EVA's internal battery timer.

_62 seconds..._

Misato's voice came through the speakers of the entry plug "Shinji-kun, there's a lift 1km to your right. Head towards it and retreat. We can regroup and fight it again later. The JSSDF plan to drop an N2 Mine on it"

Shinji's eyes widened at this "You're telling me to run away?!" he said incredulously. "You're always telling me that I shouldn't be running away- that I should be facing up to my fears, Misato! Now you're telling me to run when I am facing them?!"

"Shinji-"

His voice had been growing louder, and now he was shouting, "-I won't do it Misato, I won't! I'm done running away! Every time I run away people get hurt! If I run away now, the entire city is going to be destroyed!"

This time, the cold voice of Gendo Ikari came through the speakers "Pilot Ikari, you will do as you are ordered, or you will face court marshal."

Shinji didn't respond, promptly cutting off the transmission.

_Screw you, father._

He checked his internal battery timer again.

_43 seconds. _

_Plenty of time_ he thought with a snarl.

* * *

Unit-01 leapt to its feet, emerging from the rubbles of the skyscraper which it had just toppled. With a primal roar, it bounded towards a nearby Weapons Silo. The metal shutters on the side of the enormous armoury opened, revealing an enormous, EVA-sized, pike-like weapon.

_Perfect, _the young Ikari thought with a grin, willing the EVA to withdraw the Progressive Lance.

_39 seconds._

A movement caught the corner of the boy's attention, and he moved on instinct, as EVA Unit-01 narrowly avoided being disembowelled by a pair of purple tentacles by back flipping gracefully in the air, as its movements were no longer impeded by an umbilical cable. Withdrawing its regrown appendages, the Angel emitted a powerful blast from its core, located in its upper torso, in a stream of purple energy. The purple mecha dodged the blast with ease, sliding right to allow it to pass it...into a shelter located in the mountain...

Time slowed down for the young pilot, as his eyes widened in horror.

_NO! NO! NO! I FAILED AGAIN! _

Then his pilot instincts once again took over, as Unit-01 stepped from the behind the blast, its right arm drawn back...the Progressive Lance held in its massive, purple-and-black fist like a javelin...

_DIE!_

The Beast released the projectile with the fluid, powerful motions of a warrior, the oversized spear flying emitting a screech as it sailed through the air at supersonic speed...to be met by the Angel's AT-Field...

_D-DAMMIT!_

...then through it- the Angel's AT-Field, weakened after its previous attack, combined with the neutralizing effect of Unit-01's own AT-Field proving unable to stop the projectile- impaling the squid-like monster through the core and following through the soft tissue of its torso behind it...finally emerging from its back, covered in blood and gore.

With less than five seconds of power left, the Third Child shut down the power in his entry plug, shutting out the communications from Central Dogma, from Misato, his father, the world.

_I failed again. Even when I don't run away, people get hurt...All I can do is pilot EVA, and I can't even do that right..._

* * *

Seol whistled in appreciation "That was when hell of a battle. The pilot, whoever he –" he paused, noting the dangerous glint in his girlfriend's eyes, "- or she-" he added meekly, "-is, is one hell of a fighter. I sure hope I never have to face him in combat."

The red-haired girl next to him merely nodded in agreement at this statement. The pilot of Evangelion Unit-01 was a monster of a fighter. _And to think that he wasn't even at his peak..._ the girl shuddered at the thought.

"Captain Park" a voice called from behind. Seol turned to face the speaker...and froze.

"Your father wishes to speak with you. Dinner tonight at 7, at his residence. Don't be late..." The speaker turned from Seol, his grey hair falling messily around his shoulders and back over his black-and-gold uniform, embroidered with the insignia of a Major.

"...Of course, you could always be late. You know what he says...late people are always second-best. Story of your life...am I right Seol?"

Seol could feel the smirk, even though he couldn't see it. All he could do was glare at the retreating back and grey hair, his hands balled into fists at his side, as his face went purple in rage. He barely acknowledged the soft hand that sat comfortingly on his right shoulder.

_How I hate you..._ he thought. _How I envy you...you are everything...and I... am nothing._

* * *

The sounds of soft weeping echoed through Central Dogma.

"S-Shinji-kun?"

"M-M-M-Misato-s-san?" Shinji managed to stammer between sobs.

"The one and only" Misato's voice said with false cheeriness. Her voice turned serious "...Shinji, let me restore visual in the entry plug."

"NO!" he shouted, voice quivering.

"Please?" At the pleading and hurt in the tone, Shinji looked up.

"P-Please, leave me alone, Misato-san. I..I want to be alone." He whispered, pleading her just to go away, to let him hide from the pain.

_Don't make me hurt you too..._he pleaded silently.

Sensing the hesitation, Misato pressed her advantage "...Shinji, please, let me in. I-I want to see you." Shinji sensed that she wasn't referring to the visual of the plug anymore "...please, I want to help you. I-I just..."her voice broke, and she descended into sobs. "I-I just went to be there for you...please?"

The pain in her voice ached his heart, and the young boy felt his resolve waver...but he held firm.

"I-I just want to be alone Misato- JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!" he yelled, "I-I'll end up hurting you, Misato! J...Just like everyone else..." he ended with a whisper.

"But you are hurting me now!" she screamed. Even through the speakers, Shinji could feel the pain in her voice, the tears running unabashedly down her smooth cheeks...and he flinched.

"Shinji...what did I tell you, j-just before this battle?"

At these final words, there was a long silence.

Without warning, the fight suddenly went out of the boy's shoulders, as the walls Shinji had built around his soul were shattered by his affection for his purple-haired guardian. "J-just for you Misato-san" he whispered, willing the channels back open.

"Thank you Shinji-kun."

The image of Captain Misato Katsuragi emerged from the projector screen to Shinji's left. Her purple hair was a mess, loose strands of the usually flowing hair draped across her face, obstructing the young pilot's view. It couldn't disguise the red-rimmed eyes or the flow down her cheeks.

Misato, for her part was shocked at the image that greeted her. Shinji was curled tightly into a ball, as though he was trying to shut out the rest of the world. He had discarded his A-10 clips, which floated in the thick LCL, while his long, brown hair was no longer in the ponytail that Kaji had suggested, but was let loose and covered his face in long, thin strands, like the tentacles of a jellyfish.

"Hey there" she choked, trying to add cheeriness to her tone.

"Hey there, Misato-san" he whispered. Shinji found that he could not look at her eyes, fearing the condemnation he knew was there, and instead lowered his gaze.

"S-Shinji, look at me" Misato surprised herself with the firmness in her tone.

"No..." he whimpered, curling himself tighter in his entry plug.

"Do we have to go through this again?"

"..."

"Well?"

"...No..." the brown-haired EVA pilot emerged warily from his fortress, his hands letting go of his shoulders and brushing strands of hair from his face. A long moment passed before he looked up at the face of his guardian, and he recoiled in shock. In her eyes, he didn't see the condemnation he was expecting. The condemnation for his failure. Not even anger, hate or pity. All he found was acceptance. There was not a hint of judgement, just affection and perhaps even love.

_Acceptance. For who I am. _The implications astounded the young boy. For the first time in his life, Shinji Ikari had found acceptance. Not as the Evangelion pilot or the child prodigy. But as Shinji Ikari, a 14 year old boy. Sure he had heard the words before, whether from Kaji, Misato or the other people at NERV- he had given up on his father a long time ago. But this time there was a difference, and thus he basked in it, revelled in it, knowing that this time it was real. He could feel it from the depths of his tortured soul and broken heart.

It was all that the young boy could do to stop himself from crying, though his lips trembled and the corners of his eyes watered. He knew exactly what to say now, those words that he had been unable to utter in the 7 years he had lived with his purple haired guardian.

"I-I'm home" he managed with a small smile.

"W-Welcome home" Misato replied softly, a watery smile on her face.

* * *

"THAT WAS AMAZING!" Kensuke yelled from the hilltop, his eve seemingly glued to his camcorder, as he hopped up and down like a madman. Next to him, the tracksuited Toji Suzuhara found himself unable to close his mouth. Whoever the pilot of that thing was, Toji wouldn't dare mess with him...or her.

_Nah, it's gotta be a guy_, Toji thought, his amazement tempered by male pride. _No way in hell a girl could pilot like that!_

Sensing a change in his companion's manner, Toji brought himself out of his chauvinistic thoughts. He turned to glance at his best friend. "Something up, Ken'?" he asked, puzzled.

Kensuke seemed stunned into silence for a moment, then he began flapping even more wildly before, pointing at the prone form of the mighty purple beast with his free hand. "l-l-oo-k...HA!...I-knewitIknewitIknewit!Iwasright!" was the incomprehensible stream that came out of Kensuke's mouth.

The jock gave his nerd friend a look clearly indicating that he didn't understand a word he had just said.

Frustrated by his companion's lack of understanding, but realizing that he was currently incapable or normal speech, Kensuke just shoved the camcorder in Toji's hand and pointed towards Unit-01.

Toji froze in shock. Emerging from a white capsule which had emerged from the back of the Evangelion, in a blue-and-white suit looking like something out of _Star Trek_, was Shinji Ikari.

_No way... _

* * *

Barely a kilometre away, Shinji emerged from his entry plug, the LCL draining away around him in a wave of orange goo. He took in a deep breath of air, grateful to be free of the blood-tasting LCL.

"Shinji Ikari?" He turned, shoulders tensing as he turned to face the black-suited man.

_Section 2..._the boy thought with a frown. _What are they doing here- oh._ Shinji's thoughts turned back to what he did during the battle, and the boy nodded. His shoulders slumped in resignation for what he knew was in store for him.

Noticing that the fight had gone out of the boy, the agent simply nodded and indicated towards the black limousine behind him. "The Commander is waiting for you, Pilot."

* * *

On the other side of the Japan Sea, another boy was facing a similar dilemma.

_This is it, _he thought, readying himself. He took a deep breath and opened the twin doors with his hands, the gold doorknobs turning without a squeak, and entered the dining room. He bowed politely before his father, who sat at the head of the table, before turning to bow to his guest-

-and stopped. Seol's eyes narrowed and he turned stiffy, taking the chair to the left of his father. He pointedly ignored the gaze of the person seated across the table from him, though he could feel their red gaze on him...

"Welcome, my son."

"...Thank you, father" Seol replied politely.

The dinner proceeded quietly, and Seol was surprised to notice that the entirety of his father's attention was on him, as they discussed everything, from his school to his love life.

"I see that you have become quite close to your...co-worker"

Seol paused, letting the fork and knife drop back on to the table. He swallowed the piece of sausage in his mouth and proceeded with wiping his lips with a napkin before he opened his mouth, "We have been dating for 6 months, father." He said quietly. Seol looked up into his father's eyes, looking for approval, or at the least, acceptance behind the wire-rimmed glasses...

He found neither.

"Ah yes, I have been made aware of your...progress" the older Park replied, his mouth curling into the barest him of a smile "She is quite pretty, I must add...And a foreigner too. Quite a good catch, don't you think so?" he asked, turning to their other dinner companion.

The Major nodded, a small, mocking smile coming to his lips, as he said, "Without a doubt. I'm a little envious of you Seol...I see you've done well for yourself, grabbing a piece like tha-"

"-SHE HAS A NAME, DAMMIT!" Seol roared, standing up from his seat and glaring at his father's 'guest' from across the table.

Unperturbed, the Major looked up from his wine glass. He took a sip, though his crimson eyes remained locked on to Seol's.

"SHE HAS A NAME, YOU BASTARD, IT'S-"

A loud resounding 'thwack' echoed throughout the room, and Seol stepped back, clutching his bruised cheek with his right hand. The hand came away bloody, and he noticed a glint of red on the golden band on his father's left hand.

"ENOUGH- both of you! Is it too much to ask for a father to have dinner with his family?" He turned to Seol, "I am dissapointed, I expected better from you, Seol! Apologize to me and your brother this instant!"

Seol looked at his brother with thinly veiled resentment as he sat back down, taking another bite of his sausage.

"I-I'm sorry to disappoint you, Father" Seol murmured. His fellow diners ignored the absence of an apology to the other sibling. There was only so much one could expect, after all.

They ate in uncomfortable silence, broken only by the sounds of cutlery and chewing and swallowing.

_How dare he insult her like that...that bastard..._

"Seol..." the boy was brought out of his thought by his father's voice.

"Yes, father?" he was surprised he was able to be so calm, considering the cocktail of emotions flowing through him.

Seol's eyes widened at his father's next statement "I have a mission for you...my son."

* * *

"I wonder what's happened to Shinji."

At this, Kensuke looked up at Toji, a thoughtful expression on his freckled face. "Hmm...He has been gone for 3 days..." Both boys lowered their heads.

It had been three days since the last Angel attack, and they have yet to see the brown-haired boy since then. Kensuke's video evidence of Shinji's identity as the pilot of the purple mecha had spread like wildfire throughout the school, and had become the staple topic of conversation. The fact that the boy in question was not there to refute the rumours and gossip didn't help much either.

Both boys looked up, the deafening silence throughout the classroom grabbing their attention. Standing in the doorway, was one extremely nervous Shinji Ikari. "G-Good Morning?" he managed to squeak.

Bowing before the door, the brown haired boy stepped into the classroom, trying to ignore his blatantly staring classmates, wondering if there was something wrong with his hair, as he walked down the classroom, and stood in front of Toji and Kensuke.

"Hey guys" he said with a small smile "What's up with everyone today?" he added nervously

Toji managed to give a believable shrug...well, it was almost believable anyway.

Kensuke on the other hand, exploded.

"WHAT IS IT LIKE PILOTING THAT GIANT ROBOT?!" He shouted.

Shinji's smile vanished instantly.

_Oh...dammit._

* * *

After school, the young pilot asked his new friends if they wanted to come with him for a walk. Kensuke, thankful that Shinji hadn't ordered Section 2 to 'go Gestapo on his ass' as he called it, had accepted immediately. Toji on the other hand was a little more nervous to say the least- the images of a rampant Unit-01 in the previous Angel attack fresh in the young Suzuhara's mind. The fact that Shinji had been in control the entire didn't help soothe the jock's frayed nerves either. Nor did the army of black-suited giants that followed their every move...

After a brief walk and bus ride, the three boys emerged at a hill overlooking Tokyo-3. It was late afternoon, and the setting sun cast an orange hue over the white-and-grey skyscrapers which dominated the cityscape of Tokyo-3.

"Wow, what a sight!" Kensuke yelled, immediately drawing out his trusty camcorder. Turning briefly from his filming of the scenery he asked, "How did you find this place?"

Shinji smiled. It was small, but real. "One of my guardians used to bring me here all the time, and we used to just hang and talk while watching the sunset" he explained "He's off on some NERV mission at the moment, but I'll be sure to let you guys tag along when he gets back."

His explanation finished, the young pilot's gaze turned towards the fortress city, his elbows leaning against the railings as the gentle breeze caressed his brown ponytail.

The three friends sat in comfortable silence for a while, taking in the glorious of view.

"What are you thinking about, Shinji?" Toji asked quietly from behind him, as he broke the comfortable silence. His hands were folded across his chest, though he seemed relaxed.

The young Ikari turned as Toji approached, leaning against the railings next to him. Shinji turned his gaze back towards the city, reflecting upon the events of the past 3 days...

_Shinji sat in utter darkness, his hands folded across his chest. Without warning, the door to his cell opened, revealing a burly Section 2 Agent, his eyes hidden behind his black sunglasses. He gave a turning motion of his head, "The Commander will be seeing you now." _

_Shinji stood, looking at the Agent eye-to-eye before walking past him out into the light. The Agent, for his part looked flabbergasted, even his eyewear unable to hide the look of shock on his face. Sure, the boy had been here several times before. It was nothing unusual for him to be calm... But SMILING? _

'_What the hell?' _

_The Agent shook his head, and turned to follow the Third Child..._

"_Childish disobedience, recklessness and clear disregard for military protocol...any of these are offences which would warrant your...permanent removal." Gendo Ikari's voice boomed throughout the lowly-lit chamber of his office. He was flanked as usual by his secondary, Vice Commander Kouzou Fuyutski. Shinji couldn't tell the old man's expression, hidden as it was by shadow. _

_The Commander paused, "Have you anything to say in your defence, Third Child?" he asked coldly. _

_Shinji didn't even flinch at the tone, the small smile on his boyish features growing wider his only response. _

_The silence grew. _

_Realizing that Shinji wasn't going to respond, the Commander continued, "I see that a day in prison hasn't taught you your lesson yet. Very well, you can spend another two days in there. Afterwards, you may return to school. Any objections, Pilot?" _

_Shinji merely shook his head, the smile still on his face. "None...Commander." _

_Gendo blinked from behind his glasses, and even Fuyutski gave a small cough in surprise. _

_Shinji continued, the smile never wavering, "I've finally realized that there is more to my life than EVA. Ever since you brought me here 7 years ago, I thought that piloting EVA was the only way I could get acceptance from others in my life..your acceptance included." Gendo's silence was the only response. _

"_But then I realized...that was what you wanted me to think. So you could control me." Shinji's left hand clenched repeatedly, as his face finally broke free of its smile and curled up into a violent snarl. _

_He spat the next words, "You made me feel so worthless that I had to rely on EVA for my sense of self-worth. Just so I could find acceptance" Shinji's right hand was pointed directly at Gendo's face now and he was now yelling "I am done with piloting EVA for you! I don't want your acceptance anymore! I hate you!" _

"_You forget your place, Pilot. I can replace you as pilot of Unit-01 and send you away...permanently"_

_Shinji shook his head again "I don't care, Commander. I've found acceptance outside of EVA...I don't need to pilot anymore...But you need me to don't you?" _

_Gendo remained silent again, while Fuyutski had a bemused expression on his face. _

"_I'll pilot still. But not for you. Never for you."_

_Shinji nodded, and turned back towards the Section 2 guards, who were ready to take him back to his cell. _

"_Shinji!" Fuyutski called out. _

_The boy stopped in his tracks, though he did not turn around. _

_The Vice Commander asked, "Just before the battle, your synchronization rate was just over the borderline." _

_Shinji didn't respond. _

_The old man continued, "But then suddenly your synchronization rate rose up 55% without warning." _

_If he was surprised, Shinji didn't show it. _

_Fuyutski got to his point "What did Captain Katsuragi tell you that made your synchro rate go up 55%?" _

_Shinji smiled softly, though no-one else could see it, his back turned. The answer, when it came, was barely a whisper, but everyone in the room heard it. _

"I am not alone..." Shinji whispered.

**To be Continued...**

* * *

**NOTE: AUTHORS LOVE REVIEWS! **

**Next Chapter will be up soon, so stay tuned!**


	6. Season 1:Episode 5:To Be or Not to Be?

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion, or its associated brandnames.

* * *

Utter darkness bathed a lone figure, hunched over on a small, sterile mattress. The figure seemed to be deep in thought, and if there were lights, one could have made out the eyes. Those blue-grey orbs, seemingly devoid of emotion and lifeless...It was an accurate reflection of their owner's current state. Afterall, the eyes are the window into the soul.

The status quo is broken as light floods his damp cell from the now-open door.

"Pilot Ikari" a cold voice said.

The boy flinched at the tone, but did not turn to its source nor give any other response.

"Have you decided to change your mind yet?"

Silence.

"...Very well then."

With that, Shinji was once again bathed in darkness.

* * *

Edmond_Dantes presents:

**Neon Genesis Evangelion: Remade**

**Season 1: Episode 5: To Be or Not to Be?**

**

* * *

**

5 Days Ago:

"Misato, these readings are impressive!" Ritsuko remarked. She was currently looking at a small monitor, which displayed the interior of Shinji's dummy plug and read the caption 'Third Child, I. Shinji'. Looking down at the sheet in front of her she said, "He's almost recovered the majority of the drop he suffered before the last Angel."

The doctor looked up at Misato with a mischievous grin, "I wonder what had this effect on him?" she teased the mauve-haired Captain.

Refusing to take, the bait, Misato merely shrugged, her hands folded across her chest and a small smile on her face. "He's starting to make friends."

The head of Project E smiled, "That's good for him...but if that means he can get out of our 'gatherings, he's sadly mistaken."

Misato laughed, "You mean where you, me, Kaji and the bridge bunnies get completely hammered while Shinji cleans up the mess the next morning?" she said with a grin.

Ritsuko's smile faded, to be replaced by a serious expression, "Unit-00 has almost been completely repaired."

'Professional Misato' once again took over. "Has a new pilot candidate been announced by the Marduk Institute yet?" she asked.

"You could say that."

"Spill" Misato said flatly.

Ritsuko gave Misato a file. The Operations Director opened up the file, and her face turned ashen with shock, as she stared at the document. She looked up at Ritsuko, her jaw hanging open.

"No way in hell" she eventually managed.

"I wish" Ritsuko muttered bitterly.

**

* * *

**

4 Days Ago:

Kensuke and Shinji were hanging by the railing on the hill overlooking Tokyo-3. It had become something of a hangout for the three boys, a place where they met up each day after school and relax. Toji had been unable to come today, having disappeared just before lunchtime, so it was just Kensuke and Shinji. It was not as loud as when the tracksuited jock was around, as he was usually the loudest. Shinji being as introverted as he was, and Kensuke obsessing over his camera meant that it was quieter than usual.

Not that either minded.

"Hey Shinji, what are you thinking about?" Kensuke asked,

Shinji lowered his head, and replied "Kaji..."

"Oh" was the only reply Kensuke could muster, seeing the change in his friend's mood.

The Third Child, for his part, had not talked to his joint-guardian in person for over a month, ever since he left on his 'trip' and was worried. His female guardian had reluctantly admitted that the details of Kaji's mission were classified, even to her. Shinji missed the continuous banter between the two, and having someone who he could talk to man-to-man (or boy-to-man in this case), though it was balanced up by the improving friendship between himself, Toji and Kensuke.

"Shinji? Did you hear what I just said?"

"H-huh?"

Kensuke said, sighing in annoyance at having to repeat himself, "I asked, what you thought about the new girl in the class?"

Shinji felt a slight blush come to his cheeks, but decided to play dumb "...S-she seemed nice enough, why?"

The bespectacled boy stared at Shinji "Have you seen her?" he asked incredulously.

"U-umm y-yeah, so?"

"Didn't the Class Rep ask you to give her a tour of the school?" Kensuke inquired enviously.

Shinji gave a hesitant nod, as he recounted the events of the day...

"_Rise, bow, sit!" _

_The aged sensei looked around the class with a beaming smile on his weathered face. "Hello class, we have a new student joining our ranks today. Please make her feel welcome." He motioned towards the open door, and a pair of blue shoes stepped confidently into the classroom, followed by the rest of her. Almost instantly, all of the boys in the class (excluding the young Ikari, who merely looked at her with detached curiosity) began to drool. _

_The new student was, for a 14 year old girl, absolutely gorgeous. She was slightly tall for a Japanese girl, and boasted a slender, graceful figure. Her skirt, while modest, still wasn't able to hide her curvy legs, much to the boys' delight. The most striking features were her face, however, her unblemished skin and pretty face framed by shoulder-length brown-red hair...and her green eyes. _

"_Hi, I'm Kirishima, Mana Kirishma...nice to meet you" she said with a polite bow. As the teacher nodded for her to grab a seat, she give a flirtatious wink and twirled on her skirt, exposing more of her legs and causing most of the boys to gape, and the girls to mutter under their breaths while shooting death glares. Seemingly oblivious to the reaction, she walked down the rows to tables, looking for an empty table... _

'_Please not next to me, please not next to me, please not next to me.' Shinji begged silently. _

_..and sat down next to a pigtailed, brown-haired girl. Shinji sighed in relief. The EVA pilot's relief was short-lived however, as a flash on his screen indicated he had just been invited to a chat room. _

_**NBA_ALLSTAR: **__HOW HOT IS THE NEW GIRL?! _

_Shinji groaned inwardly. 'Typical Toji...'_

_**GEN_AIDA:**__ About 9 out of 10 on the scale _

_**EVA_01:**__ What scale? _

_**NBA_ALLSTAR:**__ The 'Hot' scale, Ikari! _

_**NBA_ALLSTAR:**__ What are you, gay?! _

_**EVA_01:**__ No..._

_**GEN_AIDA:**__ I wonder if she's the new pilot. _

_At this, Shinji's eyes widened, as he stared blankly at the screen, then: _

_**NBA_ALLSTAR:**__ You would love that, wouldn't you Kensuke? WANTED-- Girlfriend: Must pilot 50-foot giant robot_

_**NBA_ALLSTAR:**__ Actually, you would take whatever you can get..._

_**GEN_AIDA:**__ SHUT UP! _

_**GEN_AIDA:**__ Go hook up with Hikari_

_**NBA ALLSTAR:**__ WHAT?!?!?! _

_**EVA_01:**__ What do you mean, new pilot? _

_**GEN_AIDA:**__ I overheard my dad talking about the reactivation test for Unit-00. _

_Shinji felt the familiar gut-wrenching feeling of guilt and self-hatred well in his stomach. Images of the eviscerated remains of Unit-00, and the fragments of the entry plug, the subject of his nightmares came flashing back, and it was all the boy could do not to breakdown._

_Thankfully for him, his father had done a damn good job in ensuring that Shinji had been oblivious as to the identity of his fellow pilot. The mysterious pilot had synchronization tests held at separate times to him, and the identity of him...or her was beyond his clearance level. Even Misato didn't know, while Dr. Akagi had told him it was classified. _

_He would be lying to himself if he didn't say that it helped- not knowing her identity. It was much easier to pretend they never existed. With no face to put the pilot's identity on, it was much more difficult to grieve for them. It took the edge off his pain. For that Shinji was thankful._

"_Mr. Ikari, will you please answer the question?" the sensei said. _

"_55" Shinji replied without looking up. _

_The sensei was miffed that he had been unable to catch the boy, especially since he had clearly not been paying attention. He returned to teaching math, but not before shooting the EVA pilot a glare._

_The Third Child, engrossed in his thoughts did not notice. The flashing of his laptop screen, indicating a new message, brought him back to reality. _

_**NBA_ALLSTAR:**__ Nice save Ikari. _

_**GEN_AIDA:**__ How is the answer 55? _

_**EVA_01:**__ Huh?_

_**EVA_01:**__ Thanks Toji. _

_**EVA_01:**__ Never mind Kensuke...I'll tell you another time. _

_**EVA_01:**__ What makes you think Mana might be the new pilot? _

_**GEN_AIDA:**__ Think about it. Everyone is trying to leave the city, not come back into it. The last person who transferred in was you, and you ARE a pilot. _

_Any further conversation was interrupted by the school announcers. _

"_Attention, Toji Suzuhara to the principal's office. I repeat, Toji Suzuhara to the principal's office." _

_Shinji and Kensuke gave Toji a 'what the hell did you do THIS time?' look, while the tracksuited jock mouthed back a furious 'I don't know!' before he excused himself and stepped out the corridor. _

_**EVA_01:**__ What do you think he did this time? _

_**GEN_AIDA:**__ Who knows... _

_**GEN_AIDA:**__ !!! _

_**GEN_AIDA:**__ WHOA!!! Check out the expression on the Class Rep's face. _

_Indeed, Hikari Horaki had turned a furious red, her face contorted in fury, as invisible beams of fire burned the door where Toji had stepped out been only a moment ago._

_**EVA_01:**__ Toji's dead. _

_**GEN_AIDA:**__ Tell me something I don't know. _

_Class finished soon after. Kensuke apologized to Shinji, stating that he had 'business' to attend to, and leaving the EVA-pilot alone in the classroom...well, almost._

"_Class Rep, do you mind showing me around the school?" Mana asked sweetly. _

_Hikari knew that as Class Rep, it was part of her job. However, the way that Toji had been drooling over the new girl –which was in no little part due to the girl's flirting- combined with the fact that she had yet to show the jock her wrath, meant that she was reluctant to do so. Looking for an escape, the brunette's eyes landed on the lonesome Ikari. _

"_Sorry Mana, but I have to do an errand for the sensei...but I'm sure that Shinji will be glad to do it...won't you, Mr. Ikari?" she added with a menacing growl. _

_The poor Eva pilot merely gave a timid nod, cowering at the fist the brunette brandished menacingly in his direction. Having seen it in action against Toji on numerous occasions, Shinji needed no further 'motivation' to agree. _

_Mana's eyes widened in recognition "Wait, you're Shinji Ikari? EVA pilot Shinji Ikari?!" she asked, offering her hand. _

_Shinji gave a sheepish nod, his hand scratching the back of his head, while his other hand returned her polite gesture. To his surprise, instead of shaking it, she gripped it tightly, before using it to drag the bewildered Third Child out the door. _

* * *

"S-sempaii?" Maya hesitantly stepped into the laboratory, where Dr. Ritsuko Akagi was busy typing away at her terminal.

"What is it, Maya?" Akagi asked without looking up.

There was a moment of hesitation from the young Lieutenant, drowned out by the rapid typing of keys.

"I-I've been looking over the data from Unit-00's...last reactivation attempt." The typing of the keys stopped abruptly...then began again...slower.

"Yes, what about them?" Akagi asked. Her voice was lower this time, almost menacing.

Maya hesitated. She looked like she was ready to bolt out the door. She didn't.

_Dammit..._

"...Sempaii, according to the MAGI, Unit-00's internal batteries were charged at the time of the activation test."

In a nonchalant tone, the blonde doctor replied "Yes, the first ti-"

"-I meant the second time, Sempaii." Maya interrupted.

The typing stopped again. The doctor looked up from her workstation and stared directly at the bridge bunny. The light reflected off her reading glasses, making it impossible for the younger woman to make out the Head Scientist's expression.

Taking the silence as confirmation, Maya continued, "But it wasn't charge to maximum. It was only charged to half..." anticipating the scientist's response, she added "and it was done deliberately...it was at exactly 50%"

"Any idea why someone would do such a thing?" the doctor asked.

"...I have no idea, sempaii" Maya replied quietly.

Dr. Akagi looked at her assistant with an unreadable expression, as she took the data from the brunette's hands. "Thank you Maya. I will take care of it."

The lieutenant hesitated, then gave a small nod. "Y-yes sempaii..." she said, before turning to exit the room.

"...Oh, and Maya?"

The younger woman turned, looking at her superior, who had a serious expression on her face "Don't tell anyone else about this." Ritsuko smiled "It can be our little secret" she added with a wink.

Maya flushed, and gave the pseudo-blonde a nervous smile and nod, before exiting the room.

* * *

"What do you think happened to Toji?" Kensuke asked from behind. The two friends were on their way home, the sun having set. Not that anyone minded. Tokyo-3 was virtually a ghost town- the only people who lived here for NERV employees and their families.

"I don't know" Shinji replied worriedly "Maybe _he_ is the next pilot?" he suggested.

Kensuke chuckled and shook his head "There is no way that he would be made a pilot...especially when you have a perfectly good candidate in me...Come on Shinji, tell that Misato babe to make me the next pilot" he begged, getting on his knees.

At this, the brown haired boy's left hand clenched and released repeatedly, as he looked down at the sandy-haired youth. "You do NOT want to be a pilot" he whispered.

At the Third Child's tone, Kensuke decided to change the topic "What do you think about that Mana girl?"

Not expecting the change of topic, Shinji blushed slightly "W-What about her?" he stammered.

The expression on the bespectacled young Aida changed to a mischievous grin "Well, you haven't told me the rest of the story yet."

Shinji sighed, and began to recount the rest of his encounter with the vibrant, red-haired transferee...

"_And this is the school auditorium...you know, for music and drama" Shinji finished. He had just finished giving Mana the tour of the school. While he was nervous at first, the girl's enthusiasm and friendliness was contagious, and he found himself quite comfortable in her presence. _

"_Thank you for the trip, Ikari-san" Mana said with a slight bow. _

_The boy gave a small, but warm smile "Please, call me Shinji." _

_The redhead returned the gesture "Ok, but only if you call me Mana" she replied. _

"_Deal" he said, holding out his hand. Instead of shaking it, the transfer student grabbed his hand as she led him to a nearby tree. _

"_W-What are you doing, Mana?" Shinji asked. _

"_Having lunch with you, silly boy!" she replied, letting his hand go and opening her bento box. The EVA pilot sighed in relief, and sat down near her, opening his own bento. The redhead smiled "I'm not going to bite, silly- sit closer she said, indicating with her freehand. Shinji scooted over, and they began eating in comfortable silence for a while. _

"_Shinji" Mana began _

"_Yes?" _

"_I guess this means we're friends, huh?" _

_The boy gave a small nod, and smiled, "Yes" _

_There was silence again between the two, as they finished off their lunches. Both stood, and began to make their way back to the classroom, as lunch was almost over. _

"_Mana" _

"_Yes Shinji?" _

"_How did you know I was an EVA pilot?" he asked. _

_Mana stopped walking "You're a very famous person, Shinji Ikari." _

_The EVA pilot jumped at this "Really?" _

"_I just said that, didn't I?" _

"_S-sorry..." he mumbled. _

"_There's nothing to be sorry about" Mana replied with a small chuckle "What's on your mind?" she asked._

_Shinji hesitated "You're nothing like what I expected" he began slowly "Everyone wants to know me because of EVA. But you...even though you know who I am, you haven't asked a single question about EVA or NERV...it's nice."_

_Mana turned, grey-blue eyes meeting green. "Everyone knows of you. But very people know the real you...I want to know the real you- not the EVA pilot, not the saviour of humanity, __**you**__." she finished with a smile. _

"_Why?" he asked _

_The girl looked a little surprised at the question, but recovered quickly. "Because...you're worth it" she replied. She leaned in, giving him a small peck on the cheek, winked, and entered the classroom. _

_Shinji's face turned bright red. _

**

* * *

**

3 Days Ago:

Shinji, Toji and Kensuke sat in their usual lunch spot in the classroom. They ate in silence, as Toji seemed to be in a particularly glum mood. Kensuke's attempts to initiate conversation with Toji were in vain, and the boy's silent brooding was infectious. The tracksuited jock refused to talk about why he had been called in to the principal's office during class, nor why he had not met them after school had finished.

"I heard that Unit-00's reactivation attempt was going to be today" Kensuke said, turning to Shinji. He had given up any attempts to talk with Toji.

The EVA pilot flinched. Unit-00 reactivation attempts brought back bad memories. He remained silent.

"Hey, Mana's not here today. Maybe she is the new pilot?"

Shinji flinched again, and his left hand began to flex. He still remained silent.

The sandy-haired boy next to him gave an exaggerated sigh of exasperation "What the hell is up with you guys?!" he demanded.

Neither boy replied. Frustrated, the young Aida turned to his laptop.

"Shinji, Shinji Ikari, right?"

Three heads turned simultaneously, just in time to see a brutal uppercut slam into Shinji's jaw, sending him sprawling.

The boy who had delivered the blow was tall- almost as tall as Toji, but much more built. He had short black hair in a Mohawk, while his dark brown eyes glared at the EVA pilot's fallen frame with malice. His fists were balled up so tight they were bright red, while his baby-fat cheeks were purple with barely contained rage.

Shinji recognized him instantly: _Inamoto Toshi._ He had transferred into Class 2-A just before Shinji himself, but he had been missing for the past three days. The boy had established himself the reputation of a 'gentle giant'. Which made his current state even more disconcerting.

"W-What was that for?!" Kensuke shouted, bolting up from his seat.

The classroom turned silent, as they observed the drama unfolding before them.

Toshi stared down at the weedy boy, and decided to ignore him, turning his attention to the brown-haired EVA pilot, who had just brought himself back to his feet. Inamoto pointed an accusing finger at the boy, "Because of you, my brother got killed in the last Angel attack!" he shouted.

"That's ridiculous!" Kensuke yelled back "If it wasn't for Shinji, we'd ALL be dead! He's protecting us!"

The enraged boy backhanded him in response, knocking him over. "A shelter got hit in the last attack! If the bastard did his job right instead of running from the Angel, it wouldn't have happened! Tomo would still be alive!"

Putting his glasses back on, Kensuke surveyed the classroom. Shinji's expression was unreadable, his eyes hidden by his fringe, as he gazed at the ground. Toshi was being held back by three of their fellow classmates, screaming obscenities at Ikari, while Toji merely observed his expression unreadable. _Why isn't he defending us?_ Kensuke wondered. His gaze turned back to Shinji, _Why isn't he defending himself? Being an EVA pilot means he would have undergone military training...this Toshi guy doesn't stand a chance._

"STOP IT!" a shrill voice screamed.

Every set of eyes in the class turned to the source of the voice. Standing in the doorway, hands clenched into fists was Mana Kirishma. She ran into the classroom, past Toshi and towards Shinji, drawing him into an enormous hug, then giving him a chaste kiss on the cheek.

Kensuke was too stunned to even be jealous.

"WHAT THE HELL DID HE EVER DO TO YOU?!" Mana screamed "HE GOES OUT THERE IN A FIFTY-FOOT ROBOT AND FIGHTS MONSTERS THAT CAN SURVIVE N2 MINES WITHOUT A SCRATCH!" she let go of the young Ikari, approaching Toshi while she raged at the top of her lungs "IF IT WASN'T FOR HIM, WE'D ALL BE FUCKING DEAD, YOU HEAR ME, D-E-A-D! EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US!" she promptly kicked the boy between the legs with a vicious swing of her left leg. Toshi fell on the ground, clutching his groin in agony. It would have been comical, if it wasn't for the enraged redhead screaming at him between kicks.

"...please stop..." Shinji whispered. Mana stopped. All eyes were now on the young pilot, but he only had eyes for the boy on the ground who was crying his eyes out. "...I'm sorry..." he whispered, "I'm so sorry...I'M SORRY!" he screamed, bolting out of the room. Mana turned to follow, but her shoulder was held by Toji, who shook his head. She stopped.

The class was silent, except for the sobs of the crying boy on the ground, crying out for his brother...

* * *

"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN, YOU LOST HIM?!" Misato Katsuragi screamed into the phone. Completely unsatisfied with the agent's response, she threw away here mobile in disgust.

_Trust Kaji to teach Shinji to avoid his own men! _She thought angrily.

Taking a moment to compose herself, Misato turned around and re-entered the control room. Unit-00's reactivation test was about to begin.

**

* * *

**

2 Days Ago:

"Unit-00's reactivation test was a resounding success" Fuyutski remarked.

"Of course" Gendo replied smugly "the pilot was a Level 5 Candidate. The result was never in doubt."

The older man frowned at this, but deigned not to ask questions. Instead, he changed topics "Section 2 have completed a city-wide search for Shin- the Third Child, but they have been unsuccessful."

The Supreme Commander of NERV didn't seem concerned "the boy is within the city. They will find him eventually. Order Section 3 to join the search."

Fuyutski seemed surprised at this, "Ikari, Section 3 are ex-special forces- they are cold-blooded killers, not search and rescue!"

Gendo seemed unperturbed "They have strict orders to bring the Third Child back alive...He is still of use."

* * *

"I knew I'd find you here."

"Hello, Misato-san" Shinji replied without turning his back. The brown-haired boy was currently watering a melon patch with a sprinkler, still wearing his school uniform, which had brown dirt stains on the shirt and pants.

"Why did you run away?" Misato asked quietly.

The EVA pilot did not turn, as he continued to water the melons. "I didn't run away, Misato-san...I just needed some time to think" he replied evenly.

"You didn't come home last night." A statement.

"I-I'm sorry to worry you Misato-san" he said, the slightest quavers starting to enter his voice. He had been watering the same melon for a while now.

"It's ok, Shinji-kun" she replied, approaching his turned back slowly "What were you thinking about?" she asked.

Hearing her approaching footsteps, he began to shake uncontrollably, his semblance of clam starting to break. It shattered completely when Misato put her arms around him from behind, enveloping him in a hug. The watering can dropped from his hand completely, water spilling from the top.

"T-there w-was a boy from s-school...h-his brother-oh God..." he sobbed, while Misato tried to calm him. Tears were streaking down his cheeks, and his shoulders shook with his sobs "I-If I wasn't such a-a coward, and took the hit-"

The smacking sound of flesh on flesh resounded in the air within the Geo Front. "If you took that hit, Unit-01 would have been incapacitated and we would ALL be dead!" Misato shouted, her face less than an inch away from her charge's. "This is a WAR Shinji, and in war people DIE! It was not your fault that the boy's brother died!"

"B-But I-"

Misato slapped him again. "Don't you dare say it was your fault! DON'T YOU DARE!" she screamed, tears now coming down her cheeks "Don't you dare.." she whispered.

Shinji turned away, unable to face the pain in Misato's eyes, ignoring the painful swelling of his left cheek. "I-I'm sorry Misato-san" he sobbed "I'm so sorry..."

Strong but gentle hands grabbed him and turned him around, bringing him face-to-face with his purple-haired guardian once more "Don't be" she whispered, and gave him a soft kiss on the cheek. Stunned, the young boy didn't realize for a full two seconds that he was once again enveloped in a giant hug. "Let's go home, Shinji" she said, letting him go and offering him her hand. He took it, and they began to trek towards Central Dogma.

"Misato..."

"Yes, Shinji-kun?"

"I've decided not to pilot anymore."

* * *

"Why are you here?" Gendo demanded coldly.

"I've decided not to pilot anymore...father." Shinji was surprised at the resolve in his voice, although in truth, he was absolutely terrified. His left hand, flexing at his side gave this away to anyone who knew Shinji well enough.

Gendo seemed completely unmoved at this statement "Very well, Pilot Ikari. You may go now."

Shinji looked up from the ground to his father's gaze, shocked, and even Fuyutski seemed surprised.

"Ikari! He is the only one who can pilot Unit-01!" the older man hissed in the Commander's ear. Shinji couldn't hear the rest of the Vice Commander's protests, as the whispering was too quiet for him to hear. Fuyutski stopped leaning into Gendo's ear, his protest finished, and looked down at Shinji.

The EVA pilot met the wizened old man's gaze nervously. The meeting was not going as Shinji planned it in his head. Misato had been absolutely shocked when Shinji told her his decision, but she hadn't protested. She knew better than anyone the pain EVA caused the boy. Shinji had thanked her, and asked if he could stay living with her. She told him it was up to the Commander...and here he was.

His eyes suddenly widened. _Did the Vice-Commander just...wink at me?_ he thought, astonished. His thoughts were interrupted by his father talking.

"Pilot, in light of your circumstances, your request to resign has been denied. You are dismissed"

Shinji stared at his father in shock. Then rage took over. "You bastard!" he screamed, jumping over the table to attack the hated visage- or he tried to, as he was intercepted by a pair of burly Section 2 Agents, who had anticipated his move and now held him by the arms. "Who do you think you are? You are not my father! You abandoned me and then stole my happiness! Damn you!" he cursed, trying to escape the grip of the burly agents "You don't need me! You have your precious Unit-02 coming and I know that you found Unit-00 a new pilot!"

As the agents began to drag him away, he continued "What makes Unit-01 so damn special?!" he demanded angrily. At this, both the Commander and Vice Commander froze- though Shinji didn't notice, caught up in his struggling. Gendo indicated with his hand, and the guards stopped dragging the boy, though they did keep his arms locked in vice-like grips.

"In light of your recent insubordination, you will spend a day in the brig-"

"-GO FUCK YOURSELF, YOU BAS-"

"-and you will stay there until you decide to pilot again." At this, all the fight went out of the younger Ikari, and he ceased struggling, his shoulders and head slumping forward in defeat.

_No matter what I do, I can't escape EVA..._ he thought bitterly as the guards dragged him away.

**

* * *

**

1 Day Ago:

"Shinji-kun"

"Hello Misato-san"

Misato folded her arms under her ample chest, squinting to make out the huddled figure in the corner. "I-I tried talking to the Commander...but he refuses to let you go, unless you decide to pilot again...I'm sorry"

The figure in the corner didn't reply, instead curling itself into a foetal position.

"Shinji, why did you agree to pilot EVA in the first place?" she asked softly.

"I...don't know..." Shinji whispered.

Realizing that he isn't going to add to the answer, Misato continues "Before...you told me it was for your father's acceptance...is that still true?"

"NO! I hate him! He took them away! He took away my happiness!" Shinji yelled angrily.

Misato nodded, as though satisfied with his response "Do you pilot for acceptance from others, then?" she asked quietly.

Shinji's shoulders stopped shaking, as he looked to the ground, deflated "I-I used to..." he whispered hoarsely.

"...But now?"

A small smile came to the boy's face, though Misato couldn't see it through the darkness "You taught me that I don't need EVA to find my acceptance."

For an instant, a small smile comes onto Misato's face, thought she suppresses it quickly. "Then why did you pilot after that?" she asked, her voice still quiet.

"B-Because if I don't people get hurt..."

"That's very noble of y-"

"-But if I don't, people get hurt anyway" Shinji interrupted. Misato goes silent, unable to respond. Taking her silence as a signal, he continued, "So it's best if I don't pilot. Because regardless of whether I pilot or not, people will get hurt anyways."

"But if you don't pilot, more people get hurt then when you do pilot, Shinji-kun."

"...It's better this way, Misato-san."

Misato felt an overwhelming rage come over her, directed at the boy huddled pathetically in the corner of the cell. "So you think it's ok for you to just do nothing?!" she yelled "So what if people get hurt even if you do pilot EVA! More people would get hurt if you don't pilot!"

"..."

Incensed at the lack of response from the boy, Misato points an accusing finger at the boy "How selfish can you be!" she screamed "You didn't decide not to pilot because people are going to get hurt anyway! You decided to stop because you didn't want to feel the hurt and guilt! You did it for yourself!"

"...So what?"

"So what? SO WHAT?!" she echoes incredulously. Misato's face was purple with rage, and her hands were balled into tight fists "YOU'RE RUNNING AWAY AGAIN! RUNNING FROM THE PAIN, THE RESPONSIBILITY, FROM YOURSELF- FROM EVA AND EVERYONE WHO CARES FOR YOU!"

At this, Shinji bolted from his bed, standing to face the enraged Captain. "How am I running away?! I'm still staying in Tokyo-3, aren't I?" he yelled defensively.

"THERE ARE MORE THAN ONE WAY OF RUNNING AWAY, SHINJI IKARI!"

Shinji, stunned into silence at this statement, refuses to meet his joint-guardian's gaze, looking down at the ground.

Softer, Misato continued, "You want all the good things in life without the pain. But life isn't like that, Shinji...Life is about both the pain and the pleasure. In life, you have to fight for what you want. You can't be happy if you keep running from the pain, Shinji...You have to risk the pain to find happiness." With that, the mauve-haired Operations Director left, leaving the brown-haired boy in silence.

A silence only broken by muffled crying.

**

* * *

**

Present Day:

Utter darkness bathed a lone figure, hunched over on a small, sterile mattress. The figure seemed to be deep in thought, and if there were lights, one could have made out the eyes. Those blue-grey orbs, seemingly devoid of emotion and lifeless...It was an accurate reflection of their owner's current state. Afterall, the eyes are the window into the soul.

The status quo is broken as light floods his damp cell from the now-open door.

"Pilot Ikari" a cold voice said.

The boy flinched at the tone, but did not turn to its source nor give any other response.

"Have you decided to change your mind yet?"

Silence.

"...Very well then."

With that, Shinji was once again bathed in darkness.

Just then, sirens began to ring throughout the city. The Fifth Messenger had arrived.

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES: AUTHORS LOVE REVIEWS!

Thank you all for those who have reviewed! As for those who are criticising the characerization, it's early days in the series yet- don't get too caught up with them yet!

SPECIAL THANKS TO: Badsy for being my pre-reader!


	7. Season 1: Episode 6: WDCAC

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Neon Genesis Evangelion, or its associated brandnames.

* * *

The blaring of the Angel alarm echoed through the chambers of Central Dogma, even as the terminals and tactical interfaces flashed blood-red. Technicians and other assorted NERV personnel ran amok, rushing to battle stations. Captain Misato Katsuragi and Doctor Ritsuko Akagi barked orders, though it was hopeless.

_They had no functional EVAs- no, they had a functional EVA...just no pilot. _

In amidst the chaos, the figures of Supreme Commander Gendo Ikari and Sub-Commander Kouzou Fuyutski loomed over them like medieval overlords. Abruptly, Gendo stood.

"Fuyutski, look after things here for me."

The wizened Sub-Commander gave a curt nod, as the elder Ikari descended below into the depths of Terminal Dogma.

The Angel alarm continued to echo...

* * *

Edmond_Dantes presents:

**Neon Genesis Evangelion: Remade**

**Season 1: Episode 6: **

* * *

The giant purple behemoth approached steadily. Its purple and green armour gleamed in the post-Second Impact Japanese sun, even as it encroached within the boundaries of the fortress known as Tokyo-3. Without warning it was vaporized into oblivion, as it was struck with enough raw energy to penetrate an AT-Field.

"Enemy's particle accelerator firing...Drone vaporized"

Without looking away from the display Misato ordered, "Next."

On the tactical display of Central Dogma appeared a track-mounted canon, which opened fire on its gravity-defying target. The positron beam struck the Angel's AT-Field and deflected harmlessly into the sky.

It was promptly blown to oblivion.

"12th type automatic mortar cannon annihilated" Lieutenant Aoba reported, a tad unnecessarily.

The purple-haired Operations Director gave a slight smile. "Okay, I've got it!"

"According to the data we've collected so far, it is presumed that the enemy automatically attacks objects within a certain range" a NERV officer reported.

"The particle accelerator cannon will always target and fire at any object invading this area" Makoto added, as the tactical display showed a radius encompassing the outer regions of Tokyo-3. "Closing for combat in an EVA is too risky"

He didn't add the unsaid sentence that everyone was thinking. _Not that we have one..._

Ignoring the clear uneasiness in the room, Misato queried, "AT-Field status?"

Another faceless technician answered her "Active. A strong enough field is present to make it visible by its phaseshift space." This time the display showed a close-up view of the blue, diamond-shaped Angel.

"Inductive cannon bombing or similar attacks would be about as effective as throwing stones." Makoto commented dryly.

The small frown which had etched itself onto the NERV Operations Director's attractive features deepened. _This just gets worse and worse _she thought bitterly. Aloud, she commented, "Both offence and defence are very slick...The thing's a flying fortress." Turning her attention to another display she asked, "And the enemy shield?"

"The target is just above us, penetrating the Tokyo-3 City Zero Area. A gigantic Shield with a diameter of 17.5 metres is heading for NERV headquarters in the geofront" Aoba reported.

"The enemy is going to attack NERV headquarters directly." Makoto commented.

Misato gave a small smile. "How corny..." she exclaimed. "And what's its ETA?"

"Just past midnight, at 0:06:54, it will have breached all 22 levels of defensive armour and will penetrate NERV headquarters."

The smile left Misato's face instantly. "Less than 10 hours left...and no pilot..."

On the display, the timer continued to count down to zero...

* * *

"I shouldn't care!"

Shinji blinked. It was only when the words began echoing that he realized he had said them aloud.

_Why should I give a damn?_ He thought angrily. _All they do is use me again and again...just like Father. _

_But if I don't do something, everyone will die_ he realized. He shook his head violently. _No they wont! They have a new pilot for Unit-00! And Unit-02 is on its way from Germany!_

The brown-haired boy frowned, as he put his intelligence to work. _Why is Unit-01 so important?!_

The dimly-lit cell was inundated by light, bringing the young Ikari out of his introspection.

"Hello...Shinji."

"..."

* * *

"So, Unit-00 is not combat ready?"

Dr. Ritsuko Akagi sighed tiredly, even as she gave a slight nod. "Yes Misato. The damage from the...incident required replacement of all the limbs AND 78% of the armour."

NERV's Director of Operations said nothing, though her grip on her NERV mug tightened noticeably, her mouth drawn in a thin line.

Looking up from her clipboard the faux-blonde scientist added "Unit-00's limbs have been replaced, so it can move. But with the budget so tight..." she sighed before continuing, "the armour is recycled from old parts. It's not combat ready."

"At least it has a pilot." Misato muttered.

Dr. Akagi's head snapped from her clipboard in record time. The beautiful Captain was greeted by a whirlwind of blonde and blazing green eyes. "If we send Unit-00 out to sortie, we're as good as dead," she spat "Unit-00's armour won't stand 3 seconds in the Angel's line of fire, and there is less than 0.0001 chance the current pilot is capable to neutralizing the Angel's AT-Field!"

"Atleast it will move! Unit-01 is as good as useless!" Misato shouted back.

"And whose fault is THAT?!"

Both women were oblivious to the blatant stares they were receiving, as NERV personnel across Central Dogma watched the head of Project-E and NERV's top tactician go toe to toe in a catfight.

The latter's red jacket began to shake, as its wearer began to tremble with barely-suppressed emotions. Deciding the time for words had passed, Misato raised her hand to-

"S-stop it, Misato-san."

The mauve-haired woman's eyes, which had been shut tight in her fury, opened wide in shock.

That voice. Timid and shy, weak and gentle.

_Shinji..._

All eyes in Central Dogma, which had been glued to the drama unfolding before them, turned to the source.

There he stood, the prodigal Third Child, pilot of Unit-01. Clad in his white-and-blue plugsuit as though it was armour, face hidden beneath a familiar mop of brown hair. His left hand clenched repeatedly, wrinkling the fabric of the plugsuit along the arm.

"I-I'll pilot it. J-just stop fighting. Please."

It was shocking, hearing that voice from such a young child. It retained none of the qualities of youth- the vibrancy, the innocence, the lilting carefree undertone. It was the voice of a tortured soul. If one was to later ask what the voice reminded them of, the closest comparison would be of a slave gladiator, going out to die.

Misato felt her heart break, as her right arm, only moments ago destined for violence, reached out to the young boy.

"Shinji, I-"

"What's going on here?" All eyes turned to the source of the voice. Perched upon the command chair like a king upon his throne sat Gendo Ikari, Supreme Commander of NERV. His eyes, unreadable behind the reflective lens of his glasses, turned their attention to the white-clad form below.

"Pilot," Shinji flinched at the coldness of the tone, though he gave no other indication that he was being addressed to "you are to head to cage 1."

As the brown-haired boy walked away dejectedly, the elder Ikari turned his gaze to the two women. "Prepare Unit-01 and 00 to sortie." Dr. Akagi's mouth compressed into a thinly-veiled snarl. She nodded and walked away, barking orders to technicians. Misato frowned, her concern for her friend's odd reaction trumped by a more pressing concern.

"Commander Ikari, Section 2 has yet to locate the Fourth Child! We don't have a pilot for Unit-00!"

Misato could feel Ikari's smirk from beneath his hands, even as he looked down at her from the bridge of his nose.

"There is no need, Captain" he replied smugly, "The Fourth Child is to standby as backup. The First Child will pilot Unit-00."

Seemingly on queue, a svelte figure emerged from behind the Commander's intimidating figure.

"Nice to meet you, Captain Katsuragi...I am Ayanami Rei."

* * *

"Long-distance direct firing from outside the target's range?" Fuyutski queried skeptically.

"Yes" Misato replied without hesitation "A single point attack with a high energy convergence unit, without first neutralizing the target's AT-Field. There is no other way."

The Sub-Commander of NERV looked interested, though a little sceptical. After a brief silence, he asked," ...and what do the MAGI say?"

"Two of the MAGI supercomputers say it can work, while the third gives a conditional affirmative." Misato replied instantly.

The old man looked up from the report, a frown etched on his wrinkled face. "The probability of success is 8.7%" he said quietly.

The purple-haired woman flinched, and fought down the uneasiness in her stomach. "That's the highest value."

The Commander didn't even bat an eyelid at the poor odds. "There's no reason to reject it." Fuyutski looked at the younger man in clear disbelief, which the Commander ignored completely. "Proceed, Captain Katsuragi."

"Yes Sir!"

Realizing that she was dismissed, and fighting down the urge to let out a sigh of relief, Misato turned smartly on her heels and began to exit the ominous chamber that served as Commander Ikari's office.

"One more thing, Captain."

_Dammit, so close!_ Misato thought. Throwing a longing look at the door, she turned back to face the Commander.

"Yes, Sir?"

Commander Ikari looked up from the report in his hands, his expression unfathomable behind the reflective frames. "Your plan involves putting Unit-01 as the 'Defence' and Unit-00 as the 'Offence'. Why is that?"

Misato swallowed audibly. "Well sir, Unit-00's armor has not been properly repaired since the previous...engagement" she hesitated momentarily before continuing "Therefore it is not suited to defence."

"But Unit-01's pilot has a vastly superior synchronization rate." Fuyutski noted. "Isn't precision essential for an operation of this type?"

Before the purple-haired Captain could reply, Gendo cut her off. "Captain, Unit-00 will operate as Defence in this operation."

Biting back a retort, Misato managed a passable salute and "Yes, Sir."

Commander Ikari lowered his gaze back to the report, indicating that she was dismissed. He frowned when she didn't take the hint.

"Is there something you'd like to add, Captain Katsuragi?"

_Yeah...for one, why is Unit-01 so damned precious?_ She thought angrily. Aloud she said, "Yes Sir. Why was I not informed that the First Child was still alive?"

"You are out of line, Captain!" the Vice-Commander rebuked angrily.

The Commander moved his hand dismissively. "It was on a need-to-know basis, Captain." Ikari turned his attention back to the report in his hands. "You were not...important enough to know." Before Misato could reply he added, "You are dismissed, Captain."

Biting her tongue, the purple-haired Captain spun violently on her heels and marched out of the dark chamber.

* * *

The doors of the elevators had barely shut when it was hit with an assorted pile of documents and manuals. Hard.

"BASTARD!"

* * *

"Operation Yashima." Shinji read aloud. With less than an hour until he had to leave, the boy had decided to spend the time reading the Operations Manual.

_Just like I have been trained to._ He thought bitterly. _Audio-visual learning...or something like that._

"It will begin at 0:00 AM, midnight."

_What am I still doing here?_

"The two pilots, Ikari and Ayanami, will scramble at the cage at 17:30 today."

_Ayanami...so that's his or her name..._

"At 18:00 PM, ready Units-01 and 00"

_Why do they need me?_

"At 18:05 PM, launch."

_Do they need me?_

"At 18:30 PM, arrive at the Emergency Base on Mt. Futagoyama."

_What am I still doing here?_

"Wait there for further instructions."

_Why am I still piloting EVA?_

"When the day changes, the operation starts."

_Why am I still...Alive?_

"You know, talking to yourself is the first sign of madness."

_That voice..._

Shinji looked up...and stared, open-mouthed in shock at the person looming over him.

"You know Ikari...it's not nice to stare."

"..."

* * *

"That scowl doesn't suit you, Misato...it's not like you need any more wrinkles, at your age."

"Oh ha ha, Ritsuko. May I remind you we're both the same age?" a certain irate Captain retorted.

The blonde doctor didn't bat an eyelid, as she moved in step with the fuming Misato. "May I ask what's bothering you?"

Both women were currently walking down a narrow corridor. The walls were adorned with various prototype Evangelion weapons that NERV's Section-1 had been designing. Misato abruptly stopped, standing hand on hips in front of the EVA-sized weapon hung on the wall.

Ritsuko frowned, her concern for her friend taking a back seat to the operation ahead of them, as she gazed at the rifle. The kanji read 'Special Positron Cannon for EVA: Cyclotron Prototype 20'.

"You know...you've devised an insane operation don't you, Operations Manager Katsuragi?"

A vein popped on the Captain's forehead. "Don't be rude!" she shouted angrily. "It's not insane- it can be carried out within 9 hours AND has the highest chance of success!"

Ritsuko gave her a look that could kill. "At 8.7%?!"

Misato shrugged, silently begging for the faux-blonde doctor to drop the topic.

She took the hint. "Our positron cannon cannot handle that much power, Misato" Ritsuko said, turning her gaze back to the prototype. She shook her head. "What are you going to do about it?"

For the first time that day, Misato smiled. "It's been taken care of...I'll 'borrow' one."

Ristuko frowned, then her eyes widened slightly in realization. "You mean...?"

"Yeah, the JSSDF's prototype."

"And the power? It takes 180 million kilowatts to penetrate an AT-Field."

Misato's smile just became broader. "Easy...we'll requisition the power from all over Japan."

* * *

"You know Ikari, you could atleast acknowledge the fact I'm here."

"..."

"Is this anyway to treat a friend?!"

"...sorry..." Shinji mumbled.

Shinji's 'friend' frowned. "You know, I swear you just say 'sorry' to get people off your back."

"...sorry..." the brown-haired boy mumbled again.

"No problem, Shin-man" the 'friend' replied, biting back a retort. He took a seat against the wall next to Shinji.

An uncomfortable silence ensued between the pair, underlined by the faint buzzing of the fluorescent lights in the locker room.

The 'friend' sighed in frustration. It was clear he wasn't going to get anything out of the Third Child. He stood, the dark material of his plugsuit reflecting the artificial lighting above and highlighting the flow of muscles beneath. He had just reached the door when Shinji opened his mouth, the words barely a whisper.

"Toji...why?"

* * *

"Borderline cleared!" Maya reported. "Synchronization rate holding at 58.8%."

Ritsuko frowned. "That's almost 20 points lower than his average!" she exclaimed angrily. While it was no surprise that the boy's synchronization rate was bound to take a nose dive after recent events, it didn't stop the blonde from expressing her clear discontent with the entire situation.

"But still 10 points higher than Rei's." Misato pointed out quietly.

Ritsuko could only nod in response. She turned her gaze back to the monitor, which showed the inside of Unit-01's entry plug.

"Unit-01 launching." Shinji reported emotionlessly. His facial expression was hard and determined, his jaw set in a straight line, but his grey-blue eyes were dull and lifeless.

"Launch on to platform 38. From there make your way north to the designated position on Mt. Futagoyama." Misato ordered. Her face softened as she added, "Shinji I-"

"- Unit-01 launching." Then he was gone.

* * *

"I'm tired of waiting, dammit!" one of the boys shouted angrily.

"Calm down" Kensuke said, trying to placate the agitated boy. "I secretly read my dad's data...there's no doubt about the time" he added, almost as though he was trying to convince himself more than the boy.

The boy bit back a retort noticing this, instead grumbling about military otaku's, as the sandy-haired boy sighed in relief. The boy had been atleast twice his size.

A familiar red-haired girl behind them pointed at the mountains. "LOOK! That mountain...it's moving!" she shouted, unable to keep the excitement out of her voice.

"There they are!" Kensuke yelled in glee. "Evangelions!"

Shinji started, surprised by the sheer number of people who had come to see the EVA's off. Among them, he could see a familiar, sandy-haired boy, his glasses flashing off the dying sun.

_Typical Kensuke._ Shinji thought affectionately, with a slight chuckle.

The gathered crowd, mainly consisting of your average Japanese teenage boys were gesturing wildly, their mouths opening animatedly. Though Shinji couldn't hear them, their message was pretty clear.

His attention however, was caught by the figure of a black-haired boy, standing next to a redhead, and the sign he was holding up. He zoomed the sight of his EVA to read the kanji.

For the first time that day, Shinji smiled.

* * *

"_If you don't pilot, everyone will die."_

"_So?"_

"_There is something else-"_

"-We've arrived."

Shinji was startled out of his thoughts. He turned to his right, where the words 'SOUND ONLY' was followed in smaller text the words 'Unit-00'. Misato's voice came next. "Disembark from the Evangelions" she ordered. "Mission begins in 5 and-a-half hours...Until then, you are free."

"Roger" he said simply.

* * *

The girl was strange. No make that REALLY strange. She had shoulder-length, light-blue hair which was unkempt.

_A bit like Mana's hair._ Shinji thought to himself.

Blue hair by itself, however, was not the sole reason for Shinji reaching this conclusion. In addition to having blue hair, her eyes were red. Her skin was smooth skin, visible only on her face above her form-fitting plugsuit emblazoned with '00' was excessively pale. Her odd appearance was only highlighted by her complete lack of facial expression.

_It's like she's hiding her emotions...or she just doesn't care._

"Shinji Ikari, meet Rei Ayanami" Dr Akagi introduced. "Rei is the...replacement –at this Misato frowned, though she kept quiet- pilot for Unit-00."

Shinji nodded absent-mindedly, his attention kept entirely on his strange new team-mate. "N-Nice to meet you" he managed, giving a polite bow.

Rei didn't respond, giving a curt nod to the Doctor before she walked away. Unperturbed, Ristuko turned back to Shinji.

"Shinji, meet back here at 23:00 hours for the briefing. Until then, you can rest."

She turned to walk away, but turned back when she realized that the Third Child remained rooted to the spot. "Something you need, Shinji?" she asked.

"D-Doctor Akagi..." he began

"-Shinji, call me Ritsuko" she chided with a small, tired smile.

"S-sorry..." he mumbled.

Ritsuko frowned, tapping her foot impatiently. "Well?"

The EVA pilot took a deep breath. "Why was Toji chosen as an EVA Pilot?" he asked quietly.

Ritsuko sighed. She should have expected this question or later. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Misato was listening in, her curiosity piqued. _I should tell them...they were bound to find out, one way or another..._

"Everyone in Shinji's class is a Level-4 Pilot Candidate" she said quietly.

Shinji gave a small yelp of surprise, even as his expression darkened, while Misato looked slightly shocked, but thoughtful.

Taking a breath, she continued, "The Marduk Institute gathered all of the potential pilot candidates in Japan in Shinji's class... 2-A. It's not a coincidence, Shinji, that you were placed in that class. It's so that Section-2 can look after you as well as your fellow candidates."

"So...everyone in my class can pilot an Evangelion?" he asked, beating Misato to the finish.

Dr. Akagi hesitated. "...Not quite. They may be able to pilot an EVA. We won't know until we receive the reports from the Marduk Institute."

The despondent look in the boy's face lightened considerably, though his expression remained gloomy. "...Dr. Akagi, what did you mean when you said they were 'Level-4 Candidates'?"

Ritsuko smiled slightly. "It's an indication of the potential of a Child to pilot an Evangelion...Level-5 Candidates, like you and the Second Child in Germany are the highest, while Level-4 is the next, then Level-3 and so forth."

"So...I'm a Level-5 Candidate?" he asked softly.

"Yes...basically, you might as well have been born to pilot an EVA."

Shinji's expression became even darker than before. "I see..." he muttered. Ignoring the concerned looks from the two women in front of him, he turned and walked away.

Ritsuko looked on pityingly. _Poor Child..._

Misato's expression was far more complex, and impossible to decipher. _Shinji..._

"Here are the arrangements for the operation" Misato said quietly. It was pitch dark, and with less than an hour until the battle was to begin, the stench of nervousness filled the air like a miasma. It was a clear night sky, unobstructed by the artificial lights from the city nor clouds. "Shinji-"

"Yes?"

"You will be the gunner." Shinji merely nodded, face masked by his hair, and Misato turned to the other Child. "Rei, you will defend him with Unit-00."

Rei did not so much as bat an eyelid. "Yes."

"This arrangement is due to the fact that Shinji's synchronization ratio is higher, and we need a more precise operation this time." Dr. Akagi explained.

_You might as well been born to pilot EVA._

"Since the positron beam is influenced by the magnetic field, gravity, and the revolution of the Earth, it will not fire in a straight line. Don't forget to adjust for that error- you must hit the core precisely."

Shinji nodded. He knew how it worked. The navigation computers will adjust the aim automatically, and all he had to do was pull the trigger. How could he not know? He had been training for this since he was 7 years old.

_You might as well been born to pilot EVA._

Doctor Akagi's words rang in his mind again, and his stomach tightened. His eyes widened suddenly when he made a realization.

"What if I miss, and the enemy shoots at us?" he asked.

Misato was surprised. She didn't think Shinji had been paying attention, the way he had been acting. Dr. Akagi simply shook her head. "Don't think like that" she said "You must hit and destroy it with one shot."

Shinji began to open his mouth, but Dr. Akagi continued, "Unit-00's armour hasn't been completely replace from the last...battle –Shinji's face dropped at this- so it won't last very long if the heat shield is destroyed."

_Way to heap the pressure on him, Ritsuko._ Misato thought bitterly, shooting her friend a biting look for her tactlessness.

"We're in a tight pinch..." Shinji muttered despairingly.

Rei, on the otherhand, looked unperturbed. "I will protect Unit-01?" she asked.

Ritsuko nodded. "Yes."

"I understand."

"It's time." Misato said. "You two, change clothes."

"Yes" they both responded. As they turned to leave, Misato called out, "Shinji!"

The brown-haired boy stopped in his tracks, though he did not turn. "Yes, Captain?"

The words struck her like a blow, and for a long moment she stood frozen, like a deer in the headlights. He had never called her by rank, ever. Even through all the military training he had undergone, and the rigorous discipline imposed by his bastard of a Drill Sargeant, it had always been 'Misato' or 'Miss Misato' or once, when Kaji had dared him, 'Katsu-chan'- Kaji still had bruises from that.

Once she had recovered, she took a step towards him. He tensed, but stood his ground, his back still turned away from her. Misato vaguely realized that Ristuko had left, and was thankful that her friend had tact- atleast, when it mattered, anyway.

She took another step.

She needed to apologize to him. To make him understand. To take back all those, terrible, awful, selfish things she had said to him.

She took another step.

To tell him that she should have been there, supporting him, helping him, to make sure he wasn't alone.

She took another step, and her hand rested on his shoulder. She pretended she didn't notice how he flinched under her touch, or how his shoulders shook with repressed emotion.

"Good luck" she said.

_I'm such a coward._

* * *

Only a flimsy curtain separated the two EVA-pilots, as they stepped out of their civilian attire and into their skin-tight plugsuits. A hiss and the hated blue-and-white garment was tight against his skin. Shinji turned his attention to the figure visible behind. From the baggy fit of the shadow, it was clear that it hadn't been compressed yet.

"We may die." Shinji said quietly.

"Why do you say that?" Rei asked, as though the answer wasn't obvious.

Shinji didn't reply, his eyes fixed on the ground. A familiar hiss indicated that Rei's Plugsuit had been compressed.

"You wont die..." came the voice from the other side of the curtain. "I will protect you."

Then she was gone.

"I'm not much to protect..." he whispered softly.

* * *

"Why do we do this?" he muttered to himself.

"Because of our bonds."

Shinji turned in surprise. "B-bonds?"

"Yes, bonds."

"With who?"

"With everyone."

"You are strong, Ayanami."

"I have nothing else."

Shinji started, staring wide-eyed at the mysterious girl. Did she learn to read minds? Hearing her response triggered a wave of disgust within the young boy. They were so similar- they had nothing but EVA. But while she still chose to fight for others, here he was moping in self disgust.

Doctor Akagi's words repeated within his mind.

_You might as well been born to pilot EVA._

_I have nothing else._

"You're...just like me..." he whispered. And it was true. He felt something stir within him, something which he had never felt before. It was a bond with this mysterious girl, a girl whom he didn't know except by face and name. A girl who was just like him. Empathy.

_She's just like me._

"It's time."

He turned. The mysterious aura surrounding the blue-haired girl seemed accentuated by the full-moon behind her, as she stood, her petite figure outlined in the moonlight and by her plugsuit.

"Goodbye."

* * *

"It is now midnight!"

"Operation start!" Hyuga yelled.

"Shinji, you're using energy from all over Japan. Hang in there!" Misato said.

"Yes."

The purple-haired woman's face softened, as she added "Stay safe, Shinji."

Shinji looked up in surprise. "Misato I-"

"-Start the first connection!" Misato barked.

_That can wait._

Technicians from within the command van began to exchange data and reports at speed, as Misato and Ritsuko looked on.

"Positron charge is nominal!" Maya reported from her terminal.

"Start the second connection!" Misato ordered.

"All power supplies to the submission station on Mount Futagoayama- No problems!"

Misato's gaze did not waver from the screen. "Release all final safety systems!"

From his seat, Hyuga nodded. "Pull the bolt back!" he shouted to Shinji.

"Adjustement for the gravity field and revolution of the Earth is minus 0.0009...0.2 to the critical voltage!"

"7th and final connection!" Hyuga reported.

"All energy to the positron rifle."

Hyuga began the countdown. "8, 7, 6..."

Suddenly, a warning siren blared to life.

"High energy reaction detected in the target!" Maya yelled.

_Shit..._

* * *

Within the entry plug of Unit-01, Shinji waited, his attention focused entirely on the targeting display.

"3, 2, 1..."

"Fire!" Misato's voice boomed through the speakers within the plug, even as Shinji gritted his teeth and pulled the trigger...

* * *

"ERROR?!" Ritsuko screeched in surprise.

"There seems to be some malfunction with the final-level connections with the rifle!" Hyuga yelled in fear.

All eyes turned to the tactical display.

Misato's reply was drowned out, as shockwaves shook the van...

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

This Chapter didn't upload properly the first time for some reason- my sincerest apologies!

This Chapter was a real struggle to write, especially since that it seemed like a bit of a filler. The fact is just had to follow the original plot so much didn't help much either! Anyways, next Chapter is coming soon, so be tuned!

AUTHORS LOVE REVIEWS!


	8. Season 1: Episode 7: Memories and Tears

_Doctor Akagi's voice rang out through the speakers in the entry plug, her usually clipped tone replaced by a screech of shock. _

"_ERROR?!" _

_Shinji pulled again on his butterfly controls, willing his EVA to fire the gargantuan rifle upon its shoulder..._

Shinji opened his eyes. He felt as though every muscle in his body had been liquefied, while his head pounded like a drum.

"Another unfamiliar ceiling" he whispered bitterly. Unable to fight off the fatigue in his body, he faded into unconsciousness.

* * *

Edmond_Dantes presents:

**Neon Genesis Evangelion: Remade**

**Season 1: Episode 7: Memories and Tears, Part 1 **

* * *

"How is he?"

"He'll recover, Misato." Ritsuko answered, though a trace of worry underlined her methodical clip.

Misato nodded absentmindedly, her eyes glued at the bed-ridden figure in front of her. Her chocolate-brown eyes were red-rimmed and her brow creased in worry.

Ritsuko hesitated, the 'best friend' within her screaming to give the tortured woman in front of her a break- however small, from her troubles. But there were more things at stake than the heart of a woman, however cold it may sound.

Even if it was regarding your best friend.

"If we concentrate our efforts, Unit-01 will be ready within the week..." she said quietly. "Unit-00 is in far worse condition, however. Even if we were to focus exclusively on Unit-00, it would take atleast 3 weeks."

Since when did she dance around the subject like this? Sure, the operation of the Evangelions was a primary concern of NERV's chief tactician and Operations Director, but that was hardly the main concern here.

"This is serious, Misato."

Serious would be an understatement. Never mind the amount of damage Unit-01 and Unit-00 suffered in the last battle, or the fact that Shinji had only been awake twice since the battle, or that Unit-02 was still a full month away, leaving Tokyo-3 virtually defenceless for the next week. Those were bumps on the road compared to this.

The head of NERV Project-E slumped into a nearby chair. She sighed, the distinct smell of disinfectant overloading her synapses as she did so. The pseudo-blonde lazily turned her bespectacled gaze to the purple-and-red figure, still slumped over the IV-attached boy lying in the hospital bed.

"Someone tried to sabotage NERV" she whispered.

* * *

"The old men are a lot more active than we thought, Ikari." Fuyutski commented. He moved his bishop away from the imminent threat of Gendo's knight.

The Supreme Commander of NERV nodded, a barely perceptible movement of the chin, from behind his gloved hands.

"They are frightened. Their actions were not one born of certainty, but fear."

His older companion gave a sceptical eyebrow, but kept silent. A silence descended upon the two most powerful men in Japan, interrupted intermittently by the clicking of chess pieces on the wooden board.

Realizing the result was no longer in doubt, Fuyutski softly tripped his king. "Unit-02 will be arriving by the end of the month" he commented offhandedly.

_And Adam._

Gendo remained silent. Nothing needed to be said.

"But you already know that" the Vice-Commander chuckled mirthlessly. He moved his king-side pawn forward as he added, "What are we going to do about the other one?"

* * *

Kaji frowned. Things were looking poor. Both Unit-01 and Unit-00 were out of commission, and Unit-02, which he was currently accompanying, still had 1 more stop to make before they arrived in Tokyo-3.

_Hong Kong...then Shin Yokosuka..._

Reports sent to him from Section-2 in Tokyo-3 indicated that there had been a major security breach during the last operation. Taking another lungful from his cigarette, he exhaled slowly, cigarette held two-fingered, while he looked out at the might of the combined UN Pacific Fleet.

A flash of sunlight off a reflected surface caught his attention.

_What was that?_

The agent's eyes narrowed behind his shades, as he tried to locate any sign of the mysterious light. He shook his head slightly, and chuckled, lighting up another cigarette as he did so.

* * *

"Yo, Toji!" Kensuke yelled happily.

"Hey, 'Suke" Toji replied dully. A week had passed since the last Angel battle, and the track-suited boy had been subjected to a battery of tests and even more training. With Shinji still in critical condition, Ayanami and the Fourth Child remained NERV's only pilots in Tokyo-3.

_Not that it matters...I can't pilot that monster...neither can Ayanami._

Suzuhara shuddered. _Monster_. Yes, it was an appropriate name for Unit-01. Toji had once heard the long-haired techie at NERV...Aoba? call Unit-01 'The Beast'. He now knew why. He shuddered again. He would die before he would step into that thing's Entry Plug.

Next to him, the boy otaku stopped his tirade on the impending arrival of the entire Pacific Fleet to Japan, worried at his friend's lack of enthusiasm. "What's wrong man? You're never this dull in the morning."

The Fourth Child shook his head, managing a half-decent grin. "Don't worry 'bout it man...it's nothin', 'airight?"

Unconvinced, Kensuke nodded, fixing his glasses as he did so. The two boys continued on their walk to school.

* * *

"Both EVAs seriously damaged. Tokyo-3's Defence System is currently below 15% optimal capacity." Chairman Keel read.

"These are some damning reports, Ikari." The French Committeeman commented snidely. The man's Japanese was barely passable through his thick accent.

"There are sufficient grounds for your IMMEDIATE termination" another member added, his electronically-disguised voice booming in the chamber.

Commander Gendo Ikari didn't bat an eyelid, his hands folded in front of his face, his expression unreadable behind his shades. "On what grounds?" Fuyutski demanded. As usual, the Vice-Commander of NERV stood to his superior's right, standing behind his unflappable superior.

"Incompetence." Keel said quietly. The single word resounded through the chamber, as silence gripped the Instrumentality Committee's meeting.

"Give us one reason NOT to dismiss you." The French Committeeman demanded.

For the first time during the entire two-hour 'meeting', Gendo Ikari spoke. "Treachery."

The reaction was obvious, if not a little chaotic. The members of the Human Instrumentality Committee exploded, as each member struggled to be heard over the din of outraged voices. No-one noticed the Vice-Commander making his exit, shaking his head in disgust.

Finally, it was Chairman Keel who took control. "You DARE accuse the committee of baseless treachery, Ikari?!" he demanded. Even through the electronic speakers, the quavering of his voice gave no doubts that he was in a state of absolute rage.

Once again, the Supreme Commander of NERV looked completely unperturbed. "No" he said simply. "Just one." He turned his gaze to the member whose voice had been electronically disguised. "Isn't that right, Mr. Minister?"

* * *

The purple behemoth known as Evangelion Test Type Unit-01 was roughly 40m in height and 15m wide at the shoulders. It had enough special fortified compound armour to withstand a direct hit from an N2 Mine, and that was discounting its AT-Field.

A lone figure gazed upon its armoured head, the horned exoskeletal plate protruding from the sea of Bakelite that immersed the rest of its giant form.

The figure shuddered, unwelcome memories associated with the Beast flashing through her mind. Like everyone at NERV, and the world at large, she had it to thank for her life. It didn't make her like it anymore; or fear it any less.

The blaring of the internal announcers broke her from her reverie.

"Captain Misato Katsuragi to Cranial Ward 3; Repeat..."

_Shinji..._

* * *

Kensuke frowned. The situation was anything but normal. It needed to be remedied. With extreme prejudice. Putting every ounce of slyness he could put into his voice, the otaku opened his mouth.

"Did you and the Class Rep do it and it sucked?"

His best friend looked up, and even managed a small glare, but quickly returned to the sombre expression that had attached itself to his face like a mask.

"..."

Kensuke's shoulders slumped in utter failure. He took his eye off his camera, which he had whipped out in hopes of catching what should have been a classic Kodak moment. _Fat chance of that now _the sandy-haired boy thought glumly.

Inserting a new tape into his beloved camcorder, Kensuke reattached his eye to device, turning his gaze-

-straight into the face of a VERY irate Class Representative of Class 2-A.

"Aida! What kind of immature garbage have you and Suzuhara been sprouting!"

The otaku swore the growl emitting from the pig-tailed girl was anything but human. Even as he raised his spindly arms in a warding gesture, Hikari turned her baleful gaze to the tracksuited boy behind him, who looked like his favourite pet had died.

The brunette's gaze softened from her patented commanding gaze into one of concern, a frown etching on her lightly freckled face.

"What's wrong with him?" she whispered out of the corner of her mouth.

Kensuke shrugged, though his face wore a similar look of concern, as the two youths looked on at their oblivious friend.

Behind them, a red-haired girl observed them silently.

* * *

_Pain. It was something Shinji Ikari had long associated with his short existence. It did not make it any easier to bear, however. _

_He screamed, the sound distorting in the LCL within his Entry Plug, even as the blood-like fluid bubbled and boiled around him, his limbs flailing wildly, the butterfly controls clicking with each spasm. _

_Something which he vaguely registered as Misato's voice filtered through the speakers, though the words weren't addressed to him. As suddenly as it appeared, the pain disappeared, leaving the brown-haired boy choking on the copious amounts of LCL he had accidentally swallowed. _

"_Shinji!" Misato's face appeared on a projective screen. "Help Rei!" _

Shinji let out a small groan. He felt sluggish and a little sore. The brown-haired EVA pilot took in his surroundings, from the IV drip attached to his arm to the methodical beeping of the machine that monitored his body.

_How long have I been out?_ he wondered. The boy tried to push himself up with his arms- and froze.

_What happened to my leg?!_

_Toji sat in a stool in Central Dogma, flanked by Section-3 men in Special Ops gear, as technicians and NERV officers scrambled around him, their voices interlacing into a single incomprehensible jumble as they exchanged data and updated statuses with frightening efficiency and speed. _

_On the main tactical display, the smoking, battered form of Unit-01 rose to its feet, just as the screen fizzed out._

_At the same time, a technician with shoulder-length brown hair turned from his station. "Enemy probe has just breached the Geofront!" the technician yelled. _

_Another technician turned from his station. "Unit-00 is DOWN! Entry plug has been successfully ejected! Retrieval team is on their way..." _

_The same long-haired technician turned again. "Massive AT-Field surge!" _

_Vice-Commander Fuyutski looked down at the technician sharply. "Is it the Angel?"_

"_No sir, it's Unit-01." _

_The old man drew his breath sharply. "Berserker..."_

"Suzuhara!"

Toji broke his gaze from the window, his hands still draped on top of the handle of the mop, even as he leant all of his weight on it. The dying sunlight emitting through the windows, casting the classroom in an orange-and-red hue.

"What is it, Hikari?" he asked softly, his gaze shifting lazily from his window vigil to the girl in front of him.

The pigtailed girl started slightly, and if it were not for the glow of the sunset, a pinkish tint would have been noticeable on her freckled cheeks. "S-Suzu-hara..." recovering from her mistake, the girl put on her best 'Class Rep' tone. "SUZUHARA! You were supposed to have finished cleaning the room an hour ago!"

To her utter surprise, the dark-skinned boy didn't even flinch, instead turning his gaze back outside. "Sorry bout that, Class Rep" he muttered.

Noticing he was making to effort to do his job, the brown-haired Japanese girl sighed, her huffed-up shoulders slumping, her furrowed eyebrows releasing their pent up tension into a slight crease and an expression of tenderness- something which the spaced-out boy in front of her failed to notice in his current state.

She hesitated slightly, trying to muster her resolve. Ignoring the fluttering butterflies in her stomach, she raised her gaze -which had somehow ended up on the dusty floor- to the boy in front of her.

"Toji," she began, ignoring the rapid thumping of her chest and the perking of the boy's ears, "Is...Is there something-something wrong?" she asked timidly. Hikari's gaze fell back to the floor when the taller boy's eyes met hers. "It's just... It just seems like something's bothering you" her right leg wrapped behind her left, scratching her calf, even as her fingers fidgeted nervously where they met behind her back. "Maybe...maybe I can help?"

She cursed herself for her timidity, but more for the lilt of hopefulness in her tone, which made her seem so...needy. She managed to stop staring at her feet, raising her eyes back up to the tall boy. She tried really hard to ignore the emptiness in her chest when she found that his gaze had once again fallen out the window.

There was a long silence, interrupted only by the squawking of birds in the dying day and the buzzing of crickets. Just when she thought he wasn't going to say anything, Toji opened his mouth. "...it's nothing."

The girl felt, rather than saw, the tears welling up in her eyes. "I see."

And she turned and ran, bolting out the door, trying her hardest to stem the tears.

* * *

Misato cackled wickedly, her laughter echoing on the plaster walls of the hospital room.

"It's not funny." Shinji muttered angrily, his face set in a deep scowl. The bubbly, purple-haired woman's merriment was usually infectious, and her teasing funny.

Just not when it was at him.

"Y-You thought, oh my god!" Unable to continue standing of her own power, the purple-haired woman leaned herself against the wall, her laughter only interrupted by occasional gasps for breath.

Beside her, the brown-haired boy continued to grumble under his breath about drunks, a certain NERV Captain and a certain human orifice.

The scream he had let out had been enough to awaken the ample-bosomed Captain who had basically grafted herself surgically onto the boy's leg...and half of NERV as well. Misato had reacted poorly, ending up sprawled on the floor, then in the air, her Glock miraculously making its way to her hand. Once she had recovered from her surprise and realized what had happened, she was in no condition to wipe the drool staining her NERV jacket.

It was only when he became acutely aware of the absence of noise that Shinji's attention turned to his co-guardian and superior officer.

And then it hit him.

_The days in prison. _

_Misato's harsh words. _

_Father._

_Rei. _

_Toji. _

_Unit-01. _

_Pain. _

A myriad of emotions, jumbled and confused, welled up in him. A sullen frown cast itself on his face as recent events came to the front of his memory. The laughter and banter, the good mood permeating through the room mere seconds ago had been snuffed out, to be replaced by a stifling, awkward tension. Unsaid words hung in the air, the deafening silence casting itself in the atmosphere of the room like a thundercloud.

Misato stood silently. The guilt of her recent actions flowed through her, freezing her in indecision like a state of cryostasis; a part of her wanted to step forward, to envelop her tortured young ward in her arms and to tease him till his face turned shades of red as diverse as the colours of the rainbow. Another part of her screamed obscenities at herself, declaring her unworthiness to do so; her insensitivity, inhumanity and selfishness pounding like mallets against her conscience.

They had come at a cross-roads, Misato realized. Their relationship had changed, and much as she –and he, too- wanted things to go back to the way they were, it was impossible. They both knew the futility of that, and thus dismissed such an approach- hence the barrier between them. That wasn't the problem, however. It was that they didn't know how to breach said barrier- to establish a new status quo, to take that step into the said new relationship. The old one was broken, perhaps irreversibly. It would take time to regain the trust –the building block of any good relationship- of her young charge. Misato wasn't sure she knew how, or if it was even possible, considering her actions. But for now, there was something that needed to be said.

"...I'm sorry."

* * *

Better late than never, and better now than not at all.

The accused member of the Human Instrumentality Committee didn't take too kindly to being accused of treachery. That would be like saying a berserk Unit-01 is a harmless bunny. An gross understatement.

"HOW DARE YOU?!" even through the distorted speakers, the rage in the man's voice was clearly apparently.

Chairman Keel also looked less than impressed. "Explain yourself, Ikari."

Beneath his hands, Gendo smirked.

Electronic beeps emitted from the speakers of the members of the Human Instrumentality Committee, as a surprise arrived on their desktops. There was a terse silence as the members of the Committee read the freshly-delivered Section-2 Report. Finally, Keel spoke, his voice quavering with barely-controlled fury.

"Explain yourself, SEELE-04!" he demanded.

There was no response, though after a moment, the communication from the committee member ended abruptly.

Gendo Ikari shifted slightly, fixing the position of his reflective lenses upon his nose. "I had your traitor...taken care of."

There was a collective gasp among the members of the Human Instrumentality Committee, as the deeper meaning of the Supreme Commander's words took realization in the committeemen's minds.

The elder Ikari smirked, as the look of contempt and anger amongst the Committee members evaporated without a trace. He stood, the fear on their faces visible staring right back at them through the reflective surfaces of his frames. A small grin etched on the corner of his mouth as he turned and walked out of the conference chamber. The silence from the room which he had recently vacated, only broken by the clicking of his boots spoke louder than a thousand words.

_All goes in accordance with the scenario._

* * *

AUTHOR'S NOTES: This Chapter is divided into 2 parts, because it flows better that way. Part 2 will be updated soon, so stay tuned!

AUTHORS LOVE REVIEWS!


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